On 5 March 2025, WAIPA, in collaboration with UNCTAD and ProDominicana, hosted the Workshop on FDI Statistics, bringing together global experts and policymakers to discuss the evolving landscape of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) data collection, analysis, and utilization. The session emphasized the importance of high-quality, timely, and transparent FDI statistics in supporting investment promotion agencies (IPAs), shaping policies, and fostering investor confidence.
Key Discussions and Insights
The Strategic Role of FDI Statistics in Investment Promotion
WAIPA CEO and Executive Director, Mr. Ismail Ersahin and Pro Dominicana’s Executive Director Ms. Biviana Riveiro Disla welcomed participants, highlighting that reliable FDI data is essential not only for attracting investors but also for maintaining strong investor relationships and shaping effective investment strategies.
Global Investment Trends and Challenges
Dr. Amelia Santos-Paulino, Chief, Investment Research Section, UNCTAD provided an overview of recent global FDI trends, the increasing importance of sustainable investment, and the challenges faced by IPAs in data collection and policy formulation. She emphasized the role of the UNCTAD investment database in supporting developing countries and discussed sectoral trends, particularly the growing investment in renewable energy.
FDI’s Role in Developing Economies
Dr. Santos-Paulino elaborated on how FDI remains the largest and most stable external financing source for developing economies, playing a critical role in economic growth. She detailed the measurement methodologies for FDI, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions, Greenfield investments, and international project finance. The discussion underscored the necessity of accurate data to support sustainable foreign business operations and local industry development.
Ensuring the Reliability of FDI Data
Dr. Astrit Sulstarova, Chief, Trends and Data Section, UNCTAD addressed key challenges in FDI data collection, emphasizing the need for comparability, reliability, availability, and timeliness. He discussed discrepancies in global FDI flows due to differences in methodologies and stressed the importance of foreign affiliate statistics and identifying ultimate investors to enhance transparency in FDI reporting.
Using FDI Statistics for Investment Promotion Strategies
WAIPA’s Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Dushyant Thakor, outlined how IPAs leverage FDI statistics throughout the investment lifecycle, from developing national industry strategies and setting investment targets to tracking investment performance and designing effective incentives. He emphasized the significance of accurate tracking of investment intentions versus actual inflows and measuring broader social impacts such as job creation and gender equality.
The Role of Central Banks in FDI Data Compilation
Víctor Javier Nicolás Miladeh, Deputy Director, Balance of Payments Sub-Directorate, Central Bank of the Dominican Republic provided an overview of FDI data collection frameworks, including the legal framework governing foreign direct investment in the Dominican Republic. He shared insights on sectoral investment trends, the rise of FDI in tourism, and the post-pandemic recovery in investment flows.
Advancing FDI Data Collection: Lessons from the First FDI Census
Mr. Miladeh also presented the results of the first-ever FDI census in the Dominican Republic, which significantly improved data collection by identifying new firms and refining previous estimates. Conducted in collaboration with partners in Peru and the Dominican Republic, the initiative demonstrated the value of inter-agency cooperation in strengthening investment data reliability.
Future Developments in FDI Reporting
Updates to the IMF and OECD’s Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual aim to enhance the accuracy and comparability of FDI measurement, introducing new components and supplementary presentations. These updates, expected to be completed within the next two to four years, will help harmonize FDI reporting methodologies across international organizations, central banks, and national statistical offices.
Looking Ahead
Timely, accurate, and transparent FDI data is essential for IPAs to remain competitive and attract sustainable investment. WAIPA remains committed to strengthening international collaboration, supporting investment promotion agencies, and enhancing knowledge-sharing initiatives to improve FDI data utilization.
WAIPA extends its appreciation to UNCTAD, ProDominicana, expert speakers, and all participants for their valuable contributions to this important dialogue.