BackFDI to dip further in developing countries: UN
FDI to dip further in developing countries: UN
PremiumNew York: Businesses in the developing world were hit the hardest with foreign direct investment (FDI) dropping more than 20% last year and the bad news is that it is expected to fall further during the current year, a new United Nations report says.
Despite the fall, the report warned against protectionism and called on the policy makers to resist such demands as they adversely affect the economic recovery.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) publication estimated that flows of investment made by corporations outside of their own country have fallen by an average of 21% worldwide to an estimated $1.4 trillion.
Unlike the 1997 financial crisis which originated in Asian nations, the current turmoil began in the developed world, with FDI inflows contracting in Europe in particular, with reductions of almost 174% to Finland, 120% to Ireland and 94% to Italy.
But UNCTAD notes that the present crisis is rapidly spreading to developing and transition economies.
The agency points to the credit crunch afflicting corporations, both internally due to a decline in profits, and externally, due to lower availability and higher cost of finance, as well as a general reluctance to risk investing overseas in a time of global recession as the major causes for the downturn in FDI.
In the short-term, the negative impacts of the financial and economic crises on international investment flows are expected to continue and contribute to an additional drop in overall FDI through 2009, which will also roll back gains made by developing countries.
However, the report, entitled “Assessing the impact of the current financial and economic crisis on global FDI flows" is hopeful that various positive factors are at work that will trigger a resurgence in FDI.
It cites as reasons for optimism the investment opportunities based on cheap asset prices and industry restructuring, relatively large amounts of financial resources available in emerging countries and cash-rich oil-exporting countries, quick expansion of new activities such as new energy and environment-related industries, and the relative resilience of international companies.
UNCTAD underscores that any upward swing in FDI depends on a series of uncertain factors such as the speed of economic and financial recovery, the efficiency of public policy in addressing the causes of the present crisis, the return of investor confidence and the ability to prevent protectionist tendencies.
“The effectiveness of government policy responses at both the national and international levels in addressing the financial crisis and its economic aftermath will play a crucial role for creating favourable conditions for a new pick-up in FDI," the report notes.
“The challenge is to restore the credibility and stability of the international financial system, to provide stimulus to economic growth in order to prevent the risk of a spiralling depression, to renew a pragmatic commitment to an open economy, potentially put at risk by rising protectionist tensions, and to encourage investment and innovation," the report added.
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