Latest news with #SDG-related
See - Sada Elbalad
8 hours ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egypt Hosts UNCTAD Launch as Africa Sees FDI Rebound
H-Tayea The Government of Egypt and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) jointly launched the World Investment Report 2025 in Cairo today, spotlighting global foreign direct investment (FDI) trends and Egypt's rising role as a regional investment hub. The annual report, considered the leading global benchmark on FDI flows and policies, showed global FDI rose 4% in 2024 to $1.5 trillion. However, this apparent growth was inflated by volatile flows through conduit economies. Excluding those, FDI actually declined 11%, marking the second year of contraction amid growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty. UNCTAD warned of a negative global investment outlook for 2025, highlighting a sharp drop of 25–33% in SDG-related investment in developing countries — particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, water, and food systems. Only the health sector showed modest growth. One of the report's key themes this year is the digital economy. Investment in data centers and fintech is growing fast, but remains highly concentrated in a few regions, reinforcing the global digital divide. Africa saw a strong rebound in FDI, rising 75% to $97 billion. Egypt led this recovery, accounting for the continent's highest inflows, driven by the landmark Ras El-Hekma urban development megaproject and major infrastructure investments. Egypt doubled its project-finance commitments and defied a regional decline in greenfield projects, making it a standout performer in Africa. The country also climbed dramatically in global rankings, rising from 32nd to 9th among the world's top FDI recipients in 2024. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, said Egypt's performance reflects its focus on exports, industry, and private-sector-led growth: "Egypt's consistent presence on the investment map highlights our ongoing structural reforms designed to foster productivity, job creation, and quality growth." Eng. Hassan Elkhatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, emphasized policy clarity and investor confidence: "Egypt is creating a transparent, competitive business climate, turning the country into a hub for investment and global connectivity." UNCTAD's Investment Research Director, Richard Bolwijn, stressed the importance of international cooperation to support sustainable investment in developing economies. The launch event included a technical briefing on the report's findings and a panel discussion with international stakeholders from the private sector, academia, and multilateral organizations. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
Egypt Today
9 hours ago
- Business
- Egypt Today
Global investment slowing, drifting away from development priorities: UNCTAD Secretary-General
CAIRO - 19 June 2025: Global investment flows are showing signs of weakness and are increasingly shifting away from supporting sustainable development, especially in the world's most vulnerable economies, according to Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Rebecca Greenspan. Speaking at the launch of the World Investment Report 2025 in Cairo, Greenspan said the global foreign direct investment (FDI) figure of $1.5 trillion in 2024, reflecting a 4% headline increase, was inflated by conduit flows through a small number of European economies. When these flows are excluded, underlying global FDI actually fell by 11%, marking the second consecutive annual decline. 'Global investment is not just slowing, it's pulling away from development,' she warned. Greenspan cited persistent global challenges, including geopolitical tensions, rising trade barriers, mounting investor uncertainty, and tight financial conditions, all of which continue to suppress productive, long-term investment. The report notes contrasting regional trends: Africa saw a 75% surge in inflows, buoyed by stronger investment facilitation and a landmark project in Egypt, while Southeast Asia remained a hub for greenfield investment. In contrast, parts of Latin America and Western Asia saw stagnation or decline. Investment in SDG-related sectors fell sharply across most areas, particularly in infrastructure, water and sanitation, and agrifood systems. Only the health sector recorded a modest increase in project numbers. Project finance, a key tool for infrastructure development, dropped by 26% globally. Greenspan emphasized that low-income and vulnerable countries continue to receive only a small share of global investment, held back by structural challenges including weak infrastructure and political instability. She called for a reformed global investment framework that can better align capital with sustainable development needs. 'We must scale up sustainable finance, close the digital divide, and support countries in mobilizing private investment through new tools and better policies,' she said. 'The time to redirect investment toward building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economies is now,' Greenspan concluded.
Egypt Today
12 hours ago
- Business
- Egypt Today
Egypt Ranks 9th Globally in FDI Inflows: UNCTAD
CAIRO - 19 June 2025: Egypt ranked 9th globally among the top recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2024, according to the World Investment Report 2025 released Thursday by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The report was launched in Cairo in collaboration with the Egyptian government. Egypt moved up from 32nd place in 2023, recording a notable increase in FDI inflows. It was also the largest recipient of FDI in Africa, contributing significantly to the continent's 75% year-on-year increase, which brought total FDI inflows to Africa to $97 billion. The report highlights project-finance commitments in Egypt doubling in 2024, driven by large-scale investments in sectors such as energy and transport infrastructure. Egypt also stood out as one of the few African countries to record growth in greenfield investment activity, despite an overall decline across the region. Globally, FDI rose by 4% in 2024 to reach $1.5 trillion, though UNCTAD notes that the figure was inflated by volatile conduit-economy flows. When excluding these flows, global FDI declined by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of contraction. Investment in SDG-related sectors in developing countries — including infrastructure, renewable energy, agrifood systems, and water and sanitation — fell by 25–33%, with only the health sector showing a modest increase. The report attributes the decline to ongoing global uncertainty and tighter financial conditions. UNCTAD recorded 174 policy measures related to investment across countries in 2024, the second-highest total on record, with 78% classified as favourable to investors. Many of these were influenced by industrial and geopolitical considerations. Within the region, North Africa was identified as a key growth area for FDI, led by Egypt's performance. While cross-border mergers and acquisitions across Africa turned negative, Egypt's investment inflows were supported by announced megaprojects, including the Ras El-Hekma urban development project. The Cairo launch event included a presentation of the report's key findings and a panel discussion involving representatives from international organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions. UNCTAD officials emphasized the importance of aligning investment strategies with sustainable development goals and called for greater international cooperation to address investment gaps in developing economies.
