The outlook for foreign investment is beginning to look a bit brighter after more than a year of severe shock from COVID-19. The pandemic affected output and trade, and caused global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to fall by more than 40 percent. While global trade rebounded in the second half of 2020, FDI remained weak. But with the global economy expected to grow by 4 percent in 2021, foreign investors may be ready to plan for future expansion—with caution. Results

The World Bank’s projections suggest that the region will bear the scars of COVID-19 for many years to come. The Asia-Pacific region will experience a lopsided recovery from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Bank said in its latest economic outlook for the region, due to uneven containment of the disease and widely varying vaccine distribution timelines. The World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, released on March 26, predicts that the r

With the growing importance of foreign direct investments (FDI) for accelerating development, to eradicate unemployment and increase exports, many governments around the world have established investment promotion agencies (IPAs) to attract, advocate and facilitate investment in their countries. As often being the first entity contacted by investors and serving as an intermediate between foreign investors and the government, they have one of the key roles in the overall site

Irregularities in the data saw the withdrawal of this year's World Bank Doing Business report. Investment Monitor delves into the world of FDI data to assess whether the numbers can be trusted. The withdrawal of the World Bank’s Doing Business report this year sparked alarm among investors and policymakers the world over. The bank is currently investigating ‘irregularities’ in recent editions that affected the rankings of China and Saudi Arabia, among others. The level of con

By ODD-HELGE FJELDSTAD & GAEL RABALLAND Customs are often perceived as one of the most corrupt institutions in developing countries. Though difficult and complex, fighting corruption in customs is possible but requires an approach that is less centered on transposition of norms and practices from developed countries. In the World Bank’s recently published Global Report on Anti-Corruption, we argue that addressing the root causes of corruption goes beyond legal reforms, code o

Global value chains (GVCs) have powered economic transformation by enabling developing countries to specialize and catalyze growth and job creation. But COVID-19 poses unprecedented challenges to global value chains by disrupting both the supply of goods and also the demand for them. How has the coronavirus pandemic affected firms in developing countries that are engaged in global value chains? How are firms adapting to the new normal? What is the role for policy? “This perfe

Promoting regional trade, investments - The World Bank (WB) has expressed interest to help the National Board of Revenue (NBR) modernise its customs procedure for promoting regional trade and investments, officials said on Tuesday. The WB has assured Bangladesh of providing assistance worth US$170 million for upgrading the cross-border and regional trade facilitation works, said an official of the Economic Relations Division (ERD). Meanwhile, the ERD, on behalf of the NBR, re

By Kher, Priyanka & Chun, Dongwook Political risks covers a wide range of issues, and this note focuses on a subset of political risk: the risks that arise from government actions, whether political or regulatory, that can affect the profitability of an investment in a foreign country. Policies adopted and implemented by governments can directly mitigate these risks. Bad governance and economic crises are two big drivers of political risk. Both are currently prevalent globall

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2020—The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents a major opportunity for countries to boost growth, reduce poverty, and broaden economic inclusion, a new World Bank report has found. If implemented fully, the trade pact could boost regional income by 7% or $450 billion, speed up wage growth for women, and lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty by 2035. The report suggests that achieving these gains will be particularly important giv

WAIPA and theThe World Bank launch joint report on the “State of Investment Promotion Agencies: Evidence from WAIPA-WBG’s Joint Global Survey”. This report provides details of the current characteristics of national Investment Promotion Agencies (#IPAs) around the world, based on a joint global survey conducted by the World Bank Group (WBG) and the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA). Following the novel WBG framework for investment promotion, the repor

Resources and information by our friends at World Bank on Trade & Covid 19 Maintaining trade flows during the COVID-19 pandemic will be crucial in providing access to essential food and medical items and in limiting negative impacts on jobs and poverty. The speed and scale of the crisis are unprecedented. But governments can ameliorate the impact. This page provides initial guidance for policymakers on best practices to mitigate pandemic-related trade risks, support trade fac

In line with the government’s thrust of enhancing #customsprocedures towards efficient and world-class #tradefaciliation the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) - Philippines Investment Coordination Committee (ICC), during its meeting last March 6, 2020, has approved the Philippine #customsmodernization Project of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and recommended for its final approval by the NEDA Board chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte. The #PhilippineModernizat