Events

Past Event

FDI, the Global Crisis and Sustainable Recovery (Fourth Columbia International Investment Conference)

November 5, 2009 - November 6, 2009
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Columbia University, New York

The global economic crisis has already had a tremendous effect in reducing FDI flows, and these flows are likely to continue to decline in 2009. At the same time, the deepening recession has made the need for such investment, and especially investments that will contribute to a sustainable recovery, ever more important.  The financial crisis and recession therefore requires us to take stock of the changing trends in FDI and to discuss policy implications of encouraging FDI so that it may contribute to a robust and sustainable recovery.

The global economic crisis has already had a tremendous effect in reducing FDI flows, and these flows are likely to continue to decline in 2009. At the same time, the deepening recession has made the need for such investment, and especially investments that will contribute to a sustainable recovery, ever more important.  The financial crisis and recession therefore requires us to take stock of the changing trends in FDI and to discuss policy implications of encouraging FDI so that it may contribute to a robust and sustainable recovery.

The Fourth Columbia International Investment Conference addressed how the crisis is affecting FDI (including the impact on flows, new players, changing patters of agricultural sector FDI), the changing business environment for FDI (including the effect of the crisis on social conditions, CSR and resource nationalism), and public policy opportunities for a sustainable recovery (including public-private partnerships, a global bankruptcy law and a sustainable investment regime). The Conference was sponsored by the University of St. Gallen, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, with support from Vale.

Speakers at the Conference included Lee C. Bollinger, Meg Kinnear, Karin Lissakers, Robert Orr, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Manfred Schekulin, and Joseph E. Stiglitz. The 230 participants, from over 31 countries, included leading economists, representatives of governments and intergovernmental organizations, legal practitioners, and development experts. The Conference was dedicated to the memory of John H. Dunning.

Download the final program and list of participants.