The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has published this week its annual World Investment Report. This 30th edition of UNCTAD’s World Investment Report focusses on International Production Beyond the Pandemic.

According to the summary provided by UNCTAD, the report provides the latest trends and prospects for global and regional investment flows and it documents recent national policy changes and developments around international investment agreements. It includes a detailed assessment of the impact of the crisis caused by COVID-19 on both trends and policies.

The last chapter of the report titled Investing in the SDGs highlights current trends in SDG investment. It also contains the first-ever global overview of the state of national and international investment policies in relation to the SDGs.

UNCTAD’s report concludes that global action is urgently needed to facilitate a ‘big push’ for SDG investment by the private sector. The authors of the report also highlight the need for a balanced and holistic approach to SDG investment.

Expertise on SDG investment at the Graduate Institute

SDG investment is also one of the areas of expertise of the Graduate Institute’s Centre for Finance and Development (CFD). Through events and teaching – especially the unique Executive Certificate in SDG Investing – the CFD aims at disseminating this expertise.

In the past years, the CFD and UNCTAD have collaborated in various forms to advance knowledge on SDG investment and other issues related to finance and development.

Beyond partnering in the organisation of various conferences and events, the CFD and UNCTAD cooperate by encouraging students of the Graduate Institute to carry out research projects for UNCTAD and other international organisations as well as non-governmental organisations through the Capstone Projects.

Read also: Release of the IFC Growing Impact Report