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Dear Colleagues, 

It is my pleasure to share with you key findings on recent developments in 
investment policymaking at the national and international level from this 
year's UNCTAD World Investment Report 2016. 
Most new investment policy measures (85 per cent) continue to be geared 
towards investment liberalization and promotion. Emerging economies in 
Asia were most active in investment liberalization, across a broad range 
of industries. Where new investment restrictions or regulations were 
introduced, these mainly reflected concerns about foreign ownership in 
strategic industries. A noteworthy feature in new measures was the 
adoption or revision of investment laws, mainly in some African countries. 

National security considerations are an increasingly important factor in 
national investment policies. Countries use different concepts of national 
security, allowing them to take into account key economic interests in the 
investment screening process. Governments’ space for applying national 
security regulations needs to be balanced with investors’ need for 
transparent and predictable procedures. 
The universe of international investment agreements (IIAs) continues to 
grow, reaching 3,304 agreements by year end. In 2015, 31 new IIAs were 
concluded and by May 2016, close to 150 economies were engaged in 
negotiating at least 57 new IIAs. Recent IIAs follow different treaty 
models and regional agreements often leave existing bilateral treaties 
between the parties in force, increasing complexity. 
With 70 cases initiated in 2015, the number of new treaty-based 
investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) cases set a new annual high. As 
of 1 January 2016, the total number of publicly known ISDS claims had 
reached 696. One hundred and seven countries have been respondents to one 
or more known ISDS claims. 
IIA reform is intensifying and yielding the first concrete results. A new 
generation of investment treaties is emerging. UNCTAD’s Investment Policy 
Framework and its Road Map for IIA Reform are shaping key reform 
activities at all levels of policymaking. Despite significant progress, 
much remains to be done. The 2016 World Investment Forum offers the 
opportunity to discuss how to carry IIA reform to the next phase. 
Promoting and facilitating investment is crucial for sustainable 
development agenda. At the national level, most efforts relate to 
investment promotion rather than facilitation. In IIAs, concrete 
facilitation measures are rare. In January 2016, UNCTAD launched its 
Global Action Menu for Investment Facilitation, building on its 2012 
Investment Policy Framework and the organization's rich experience in 
investment promotion and facilitation efforts worldwide over the past 
decades. The Action Menu consists of 10 sets of actions. It includes 
policy options that countries can implement at national level, and options 
that can guide international collaboration or that can be incorporated in 
IIAs.

With best regards,

James X. Zhan
Director, Investment & Enterprise
Team Leader, World Investment Report
United Nations Conference on Trade & Development
Palais des Nations, Geneva
Tel: +41 22 9175797
www.unctad.org/diae 
http://www.worldinvestmentreport.org/