UNDP-UNITAR training workshop on Investment Promotion
Globally, the African countries are in a strong position to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In order to utilize the full potential of FDI to achieve sustained economic growth without compromising social and environmental sustainability, Sudan will have to put the investment promotion activities in the centre of its development strategies and policies.
This process needs to begin with an improvement of the business environment at the national level. Potential investors should perceive Sudan as a safe and predictable legal and economic environment. The country will then need to have human resources of high quality level in the field of the investment promotion, to identify attractive sectors, and build partnerships which will promote the flow of the foreign direct investments.
This workshop is implemented jointly by UNDP and UNITAR as part of the Investment Development project under the UNDP Sudan Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) of 2013 to 2016.
The overall objective of this workshop is to determine approaches and tools for Sudan to attract foreign direct investment, and to manage investment with a view to accelerating development. It is also necessary to strengthen the capacities of senior officials in charge of investment promotion, to raise their awareness of the full potential of their country, and define accordingly the best strategies to attract and retain foreign direct investment.
At the end of this workshop, the participants should be able to
- Name the most important international and regional legal instruments for promoting investment;
- Recognize the main benefits, challenges and trends for Sudan in relation to foreign direct investment;
- Identify the different steps of developing and implementing an investment targeting strategy;
- Discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with creating an investment promotion agency and restructuring an existing one;
- Recognize the importance of building a positive image of Sudan as a host country for foreign direct investment; and
- Examine various scenarios with regard to the future legal and institutional investment framework of Sudan.
Module 1: International and Regional Legal instruments for Promoting Investment
- Relevant international investment agreements for Sudan
- The COMESA Regional Investment Agency (RIA) – Sudan is member
- Investment provisions in WTO law (in perspective)
Module 2: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Facts, Figures, Trends and Stakes for Sudan
- Currents FDI trends (features, stakes, and investments flows)
- Understanding FDI: Benefits, challenges, and competitiveness
Module 3: National Predispositions and Reforms to be Undertaken (Incentives)
- Improving the national investment climate in Sudan
- Doing Business Report 2014 (State of play of business regulations and way forward)
Module 4: Targeting, Building Strategy, and Diversifying Partnerships
- Developing and implementing an investor targeting strategy
- Targeting (strategic sectors, companies, countries, and regions)
- Building, managing and diversifying partnerships all over the world
Module 5: Building and Strengthening an Investment Promotion Agency (IPA)
- Creating a new IPA and/or restructuring an existing one
- Role, structure and orientations
- Case studies on cooperation in investment promotion: Other IPAs in Africa
Module 6: Building Image (Media Relations, Materials, and New Technologies Tools)
- Assets of Sudan
- Medias Relations, marketing, and visibility
- Presentations of IPAs and others relevant national institutions
- Benefits from a new generation web site
- Communication strategy
Module 7: Management, Aftercare Services, Monitoring and Evaluation
- Managing an investment project (planning, establishment, and implementation)
- Due diligence and aftercare services (anticipating and solving problems)
- Monitoring and evaluation of the whole process (overview)
Module 8: Wrap-up
- Drawing the future legal and institutional investment promotion framework of Sudan (working groups)
The workshop will be conducted according to various methodological approaches:
- For every module, there will be a theoretical introduction to allow participants to better understand the issues under discussion.
- Documents to be read will be distributed to the participants.
- Individual coaching sessions will be proposed to each participant.
- Working groups will be organized to strengthen the team spirit.
All sessions will be conducted in an interactive fashion and in the English language.
The programme targets senior and middle level officials of the National Investment Authority of Sudan (NIA).