Leaders Upbeat on Investment and Development

Attendees at the World Investment Forum, which closed Tuesday, were cautiously upbeat about the near-term prospects for international investment flows and their contribution to the development process.

Among reasons for this optimism were expectations of sustained economic growth in emerging markets and continued expansion and diversification by companies worldwide. A consensus emerged that positive factors driving investment flows will outweigh negative developments, such as the slowdown in economic growth in some developed economies and the impact of the current credit crisis.

During the four-day World Investment Forum (WIF), 500 corporate executives, private investors, investment promotion professionals and high-level government officials from across the world explored investment opportunities and innovative policy measures to boost investment and accelerate sustainable development.