Investment and Trade

 

MENA-OECD Working Group on Investment and Trade 3 November 2022 | Istanbul, Türkiye Under the theme “Promoting Sustainable Economic Development through Investment and Trade” and guided by the Working Group co-chairs, the meeting focused on further enhancing international and regional collaboration to build more resilient economies in times of uncertainty through improved investment and trade integration. In this context, the Working Group discussed common challenges arising from current regional and global shocks affecting the region’s capacity to attract investment and disrupting its supply chains, as well as the linked opportunities towards reconfiguring its investment strategies and integration in GVCs. Other relevant issues that were addressed included the region’s service sector potential as a source of increased quality trade and investment.

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Investment and trade represent an important opportunity for economic development of the MENA region, if accompanied by sound policies that enable quality job creation and prosperity for society at large.  While the situation varies among MENA economies, most are now undertaking reforms to promote and facilitate investment and exports. To boost growth and generate jobs through investment and trade, further efforts should be made to: increase trade facilitation and investment security support integration into global production and distribution networks provide evidence-based analysis to ensure there is a right balance between national objectives and openness improve policy coherence at all levels to ensure co-ordination, good governance and inclusiveness    Read the latest report from the MENA-OECD Competitiveness Programme: Enhancing the legal framework for sustainable investment: Lessons from Jordan (2018)

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About the MENA-OECD Working Group on Investment and Trade

The Working Group on Investment and Trade, chaired by Japan and Jordan, was launched in September 2017 to help foster policy dialogue and analysis on trade and investment interconnections. Building on relevant OECD policy and statistical tools, the Working Group works to improve policy orientations, implementation and evaluation. Its main activities include:

• facilitating dialogue among policy makers on trade and investment interconnections and ways to maximise benefits for MENA economies
• collecting and analysing statistical trends
• monitoring reforms and impact to enhance policy coherence
• improving co-operation with all stakeholders and national co-ordination
• helping integrate regional and global value chains 

• Read the conclusions of the 2018 Working Group

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Publications and Key Documents

Investment in the MENA region in the times of COVID-19 (2020)
Enhancing the legal framework for sustainable investment: Lessons from Jordan (2018)
Promoting Investment in a Fragile Context: The OECD Iraq Project  (Arabic version) (2016) 
Strengthening Regional Investment Frameworks: Review of International and Regional Investment-related Agreements concluded by Arab League Member States (2014) 

OECD Investment Policy Reviews: 

• Jordan (2013)
• Tunisia (2012)
• Morocco (2010)
• Egypt (2007)

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Related Activities

• OECD-EU Regional Programme on Promoting Investment in the Mediterranean (2016-20)
• MENA Transition Fund Project on Enhancing the Investment Climate in Egypt (2015-19)
• MENA Transition Fund Project on Competitiveness and Investment in Jordan (2014-17)
• Improving the business and investment climate in Iraq (2013-16)
• OECD Iraq project (2007-13)
• SME’s and Entrepreneurship
• Women’s Economic Empowerment
• Building Consensus for Economic and Social Reform in Lebanon

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Related OECD tools

• Policy Framework for Investment 
• Trade in Value Added 
• Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises and Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises 
• Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct 
• Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment  
• FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index 

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Event conclusions

Webinar on International investment Agreements: Challenges and policy options for Egypt, 3 June 2021, Webinar 
MENA-OECD Working Group on Investment and Trade Annual Meeting, 3 December 2020, Webinar
Investment in the MENA region in the times of Covid-19, 23 June 2020, Webinar
MENA-OECD Conference on Promoting Quality Infrastructure Investment, 19-20 March 2019, Cairo, Egypt
Making trade and investment policies work for all 27-28 November 2018, Dead Sea, Jordan
Investment and trade policy reforms for inclusive growth in the MENA region, 28-29 September 2017, Paris, France
Investment and inclusive growth in the midst of crisis: lessons learned & ways forward, 11 May 2016, Beirut, Lebanon
MENA-OECD Working Group on Investment Policies and Promotion: Supporting Investment Policy Reforms in the MENA Region, 11 December 2014, Cairo, Egypt
ECD/Arab League Regional Investment Conference: Fostering Regional Integration on Investment, 9-10 December 2014, Cairo, Egypt

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Contact us

For further information, please contact: MENA.Competitiveness@oecd.org