SADC–IISD Investment Facilitation Workshop

The SADC–IISD Investment Facilitation Workshop, held in August 2018, aimed to transition the concept of investment facilitation toward a focus on sustainable development. Participants from 13 SADC member states analyzed the distinctions between trade and investment facilitation and reviewed the UNCTAD Global Action Menu. The workshop concluded that facilitation measures should primarily remain at the national level to preserve regulatory space, while the regional (SADC) and international levels should focus on information sharing, capacity building, and technical assistance rather than new legal obligations.

• Investment facilitation differs from trade facilitation because it involves a broader regulatory scope, including environment, labour, and health and safety, and focuses on long-term operations rather than the short-term act of moving goods across borders.
• Participants argued that the term 'investment facilitation' should be replaced with 'facilitating investment for sustainable development' to incorporate host state needs such as climate change adaptation, mitigation, and human rights.
• SADC member states identified key regional priorities including the provision of accessible investment information, the minimization of corruption risks, and the enhancement of support for women, youth, and SME entrepreneurship.
• The workshop participants rejected the creation of new international or regional legal obligations for investment facilitation, preferring instead capacity building and information sharing to support national regulatory frameworks.
• At the regional level, SADC is viewed as the appropriate body to develop non-binding standards for government service delivery and to maximize sustainable development benefits from the investment process.
• Participants identified gaps in the UNCTAD Global Action Menu, noting it lacks focus on tracking the source of funds, addressing money laundering and tax evasion, and incorporating environmentally friendly investment.
• The workshop highlighted a need for technical assistance to help governments evaluate investment proposals and identify high-level investors committed to development partnerships.

APA

Brauch, M. D., Mann, H., & Bernasconi-Osterwalder, N. (2019). SADC–IISD Investment Facilitation Workshop. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sadc-iisd-investment-facilitation-workshop.pdf

Chicago

Brauch, Martin Dietrich, Howard Mann, and Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder. SADC–IISD Investment Facilitation Workshop. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2019. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sadc-iisd-investment-facilitation-workshop.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Brauch |first1=Martin Dietrich |last2=Mann |first2=Howard |last3=Bernasconi-Osterwalder |first3=Nathalie |title=SADC–IISD Investment Facilitation Workshop |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=January 2019 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sadc-iisd-investment-facilitation-workshop.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{brauch2019sadciisd, author = {Brauch, Martin Dietrich and Mann, Howard and Bernasconi-Osterwalder, Nathalie}, title = {{SADC–IISD Investment Facilitation Workshop}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2019}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sadc-iisd-investment-facilitation-workshop.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }