Dear Members of World Investment Network,
It is my pleasure to share with you UNCTAD's
seventh Investment Policy Monitor.
The new Monitor finds that at least 19 countries
introduced new national policy measures related to investment in the review
period (September 2011 - January 2012). Investment policies were generally
favourable to foreign investment. At the same time, there was an
increase in regulatory activities affecting investment particularly in
the mining sector and with regard to competition issues. Numerous countries
also modified their corporate taxation rules with some countries increasing
taxes and others reducing them.
Also, during the review period, 25 new international
investment agreements were concluded. Venezuela denounced its membership
in the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID),
and leaders at the G20 Summit in Cannes reaffirmed their commitment to
refrain from raising barriers or imposing new barriers to investment.
UNCTAD’s Investment
Policy Monitor is a regular publication
that provides the international investment community with country-specific,
up-to-date information about the latest developments in foreign investment
policies, both at the national and international level.
Let me take this opportunity to remind you
of UNCTAD’s upcoming World Investment Forum (WIF), to be held in Doha,
Qatar, 20-23 April 2012, in conjunction with the UNCTAD Ministerial Conference.
The biennial Forum provides a unique platform to interact with global leaders,
senior policymakers, corporate executives, investors and investment promotion
agencies from countries round the world. So far, senior participants from
over 80 countries have pre-registered. For more information about the program
and registration, please visit our website: www.unctad-worldinvestmentforum.org.
With best regards,
James X. Zhan
Director
Investment & Enterprise Division
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Palais des Nations, Geneva
Tel: +41 22 9175797
www.unctad.org/diae
wir
