27th World Investment Conference to take place December 11-14 at the India International Convention and Expo Center
CEO of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies calls for greater international co- operation and highlights critical role of IPAs
NEW DELHI — Government officials, business leaders and high-level representatives of multilateral institutions will convene in New Delhi December 11-14, 2023 to discuss the current global challenges and opportunities posed by foreign direct investment (FDI).
Hosted since 1995, the World Investment Conference (WIC) is the flagship event of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), the main global body representing agencies which are charged with attracting inward investment to their jurisdictions.
The conference will be attended by approximately 1,000 participants featuring government officials, investment promotion agencies (IPAs), corporates, multilateral institutions, venture capitalists, start-ups, funding bodies, policymakers, top academics and other leading voices of the investment world who will come together to discuss the current economic and social issues that impact investment flows and other strategic considerations. The meeting also crucially provides a platform to match investors with investible projects in countries worldwide.
WIC 2023 is the 27th iteration of the event but the first time it will be hosted in India. The official theme of the event will be “Empowering Investors: IPAs Pioneering Future Growth” and it will take place in New Delhi’s dazzling new India International Convention and Expo Center across four days.
This year’s WIC puts the spotlight on an Investor-IPA Connect, with direct interactions between IPAs and potential investors from diverse industries. This strategic focus promises mutual growth and prosperity, amplifying opportunities for IPAs to attract investments and investors to access prime markets. The event will facilitate not only the presentation of investible projects but also exclusive one-on-one interactions. Furthermore, IPAs will have the opportunity to showcase their projects to multilateral development banks, financial
institutions, and other influential stakeholders at the conference. Additionally, Start-Up Capital Connect will be a pivotal conference component where promising startups pitch their innovations to venture capitalists and institutional investors. This platform offers startups an opportunity to gain funding and strategic partnerships, propelling them towards exponential growth and success.
WIC 2023 comes at a time of when FDI is more necessary than ever as a driver of growth and as a key mechanism for sustainable development.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s World Investment Report 2023 revealed an uncertain current environment for FDI with volumes declining by -12% in 2022. At such a time, the role of IPAs has become more essential than ever, WAIPA CEO and Executive Director Ismail Ersahin has stressed.
“Investment promotion agencies — working in concert with private-sector partners — will remain essential facilitators of globalization. Their role cannot be underestimated,” he said.
“IPAs must collaborate in order to harness the capabilities and strengths of individual countries, instead of competing against one another. Through this internationally minded, co-operation-driven approach IPAs can serve as effective champions of global investment and sustainable development — and keep the wheels of globalization turning now and in the future.”
Such themes will be at the heart of discussions at WIC 2023, alongside the dedicated matchmaking forums to bring carefully selected investment opportunities to the attention of international investors.
Invest India holds the current presidency of WAIPA and in this capacity will host the gathering, under the auspices of India’s Ministry of Commerce.
For more information, please contact: Courtney Fingar, Senior Adviser – Communications, WAIPA [email protected] (+44) 7506 586 986
To register for WIC 2023, please visit: https://waipa.org/wic/
About WAIPA
The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies was created in 1995 in Geneva, as a non-governmental organization. Its mission is to empower and support investment promotion agencies in the important work they do to develop their economies; to be a voice for IPAs internationally; and to serve as a bridge between the public and private sectors. The association has more than 140 member agencies representing more than 100 countries.