OREANDA-NEWS. September 15, 2011. The annual WAIPA World Investment Conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland. It had brought together international panels, government officials, chief executives from the private sector, representatives from Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs), as well as members of civil society and academia.

As the world pursues recovery and faces new challenges, the discussion of shifting investment promotion strategies is appropriate and timely. This conference explored the following themes:

Back to Basics – Ending the Short Term View

Changing Macro-Economic Realities and FDI

The Long Term View – Innovation, Green Energy and Economic Development

Narrowing the technology gap: host country innovation, R&D relocation and FDI

This two day conference presented a key opportunity to debate, through a series of panel discussion sessions, the changes necessitated by the continuing financial crisis and the opportunities afforded by global shifts in national aggregate purchasing power and the reconsideration of national priorities. We will also continue our exploration, commenced last year, of the role of green energy initiatives and innovation as a catalyst for FDI.