Investment Policy Forum

IISD hosts the Investment Policy Forum, the world's only summit of investment negotiators and policy-makers exclusively from developing countries. The IISD Investment Policy Forum leads the way on sustainable investment reform from the bottom up, driven by our global community of investment policy-makers from developing countries.

The 16th edition of the Investment Policy Forum was held in Manila, Philippines, on October 16-18, 2024.

The IISD Investment Policy Forum was launched in Singapore in 2007 to tackle the unique challenges facing officials from developing countries working on investment. It has since evolved into an annual event and an indispensable global network of investment officials. Through the sharing of experiences and best practices, problem-solving, and strategizing, the network has become a driver of systemic reform advancing sustainable development across the world—from Africa, and Asia, to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe.

The core goal of the event is to ensure that participating countries are able to attract responsible investment that advances sustainable development while safeguarding their legitimate policy space. Between events, the community also remains engaged through IISD's Investment Policy Network, regional meetings, and peer-to-peer exchanges.

With the complexity of the challenges facing governments worldwide—such as the climate crisis, global inequality, and environmental degradation—many international investment reform processes coming to an end, and a growing number of countries launching national investment reforms, policy-makers urgently need a space to build coalitions and advance solutions. The IISD Investment Policy Forum is that space.

2024 Investment Policy Forum

The 16th edition of the Investment Policy Forum was held in Manila, the Philippines, in October 2024. 90 investment policy-makers and negotiators from more than 50 developing countries, regional bodies, and multilateral institutions participated across 3 days of panel discussions, workshops, and peer-to-peer learning sessions. The theme of the 16th edition was policy coherence in investment governance across governments' economic, environmental, and social priorities. The delegates produced a policy coherence tool kit to support delivery. The event's keynote address was delivered by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Surya Deva. 

2023 Investment Policy Forum

The 15th edition of the Investment Policy Forum took place in Panama City, Panama, in October 2023. Over 100 investment policy-makers gathered to explore and strategize around the event theme of institutional coherence. In the last session of the event, the delegates developed an institutional coherence tool kit to support implementation in their respective home countries.

At the 2023 Investment Policy Forum, the IISD Model Contract Clauses for Responsible Investment in Agriculture toolkit for developing countries was launched, providing legal provisions to help developing countries implement international best practices, principles, and guidance on responsible agricultural investment.

Co-Organizers and Partner Organizations

As the Investment Policy Forum organizer, IISD has partnered with international and regional organizations that have been regularly represented at the meetings:

• South Centre
• Commonwealth Secretariat
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 
• West African Economic and Monetary Union 
• Caribbean Community
• Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa 
• Southern African Development Community 
• Pacific Islands Forum, Office of the Chief Trade Adviser

Testimonials

Find out more about IISD's Investment Policy Forum and hear what participants have to say about the value of attending.