Waipa World Association of investment Promotion Agencies

Services

• Does WAIPA provide its Members with investment opportunities?

  No. WAIPA does not make match-making between corporations and IPAs. Nevertheless, if an investor approaches WAIPA for information on the IPA or the investment climate
  in a given country, WAIPA will redirect his enquiry to the IPA.
   

• Can I benefit from WAIPA without being a member?

  
Yes. WAIPA has a broad circle of friends and partners. The WAIPA NewsFlash is received by over 2,000 investment promotion professionals, corporates, international civil servants, consultants, academics, researchers and students worldwide. The only thing you have to do is register. The WAIPA Annual Conference is also open to all those interested in the world of investment promotion.

   

Fees

• Who can become a WAIPA Member?

  Art. III.1 of WAIPA Statutes states that "Membership of WAIPA shall be open to all agencies whose prime function is to promote any country or territory for investment. Other organizations that share the objectives of WAIPA as set out in Article II of the WAIPA Statute, may, upon application, become Associated Members".

• Can Chambers of Commerce become WAIPA Members?

  Yes. As far as a Chamber of Commerce has competences in the promotion of investment is welcome to join WAIPA.
   

• If my IPA becomes a Member late in the year, is there any reduction in the annual fee?

  No. There is no proportional reduction in the fee amount depending on the time of the application.

Annual Conference

• Who can attend the Annual Conference?

  You don't have to be a WAIPA Member or even an IPA to attend the Annual Conference. This event brings together private business, the academia, representatives of international organizations, international experts, consultants, diplomats and especially investment promotion officials.

• Are there any delegate fees involved?

  Yes. Those delegates, that are not investment promotion officials from IPAs must pay a modest Conference fee.

• What is the profile of the participants of the WAIPA Conference?

  Out of nearly 300 delegates a third are heads of IPAs. The rest come from the private sector, the academia, international organizations and international consultancy firms. You can find a delegates' list at WAIPA Conferences

Training

• How Can I Find Out About WAIPA Training Initiatives?

  There are several ways of finding out about WAIPA's training activities. First and foremost, the WAIPA bi-monthly NewsFlash contains a section named Upcoming Events. WAIPA News Alerts may announce an individual training event. For updates you may visit the Capacity Building Section of this Website. 

• How Does WAIPA Decide Topics of Training?

  The WAIPA activities programme is designed on the basis of (i) foreign investment patterns and trends, (ii) the needs and expectations of foreign investors with respect to IPAs, and (iii) interests expressed by Member IPAs themselves.

• How Can a Member IPA Host a WAIPA Training Event?

  Members can express their interest to the WAIPA Permanent Secretariat at any time during the year.  Members may also be requested to express their willingness to organize, in coordenation with the WAIPA Permanent Secretariat, a training activity, in their country. Participation should be open to IPAs from the region and, to the extent there is an interest, to IPA officers from IPA Members of other geographical regions. 

• What Are the Commitments Expected From an IPA Hosting A Training Event?

  A simpler training event, such as a WAIPA Focus Forum would generally request that the Member IPA provides the conference facilities, arranges for printing of materials and for "data show" in case of power point presentations etc. It is expected that the hosting IPA negotiates discounted hotel rates for participants and that it actively engage, along with the WAIPA Permanent Secretariat, in raising awareness of the event. Often WAIPA expects that, at the minimum, the traveling costs of one instructor (a researcher or professor, from academia or from a think tank, or an independent consultant) be  covered by the hosting IPA. The commitments expected in the case of an IPA that wishes to host an edition of the WAIPA Certification Program for Investment Promotion Officers, or a Work Group or Working Session during a World Investment Conference may be found in the Certification Program Section of this WebSite and on the Section dedicated to the WAIPA World Investment Conferences, respectively.

Membership

• Who May Become a WAIPA Member?

  As broadly stated under the WAIPA Statutes,  Membership is open to all agencies, the primary function of which is "to promote any country, political sub-division within a country or uncontested territory as a destination for, source of,  investments" (Article III of the WAIPA Statutes). Organizations other than agencies or government entities may, upon application, become an Associated Member provided that they share the objectives of WAIPA as set out in Article II of the WAIPA Statutes. Both in the case of full Membership and Associated Membership, acceptance is conditional on (i) an analysis of the applicant by the Permanent Secretariat,  (ii) payment - of the first annual membership fee - being received; and, on the fact that (iii) within a reasonable time, no opposition if raised by a Member already belonging to our Membership base. This objection needs to be reasonably justified.

• Should Members Renew Their Membership Every Calendar Year?

  No. Once an agency or other organization becomes a Member, it does not need to communicate its intention, to the WAIPA Permanent Secretariat -every calendar year - to remain a Member. Membership is automatically renewed each and every year and a membership fee is due unless and until the member withdraws from the Association. Request to cancel membership must be communicated in writing by e-mail, fax or by post.

• Can Free Zones and Industrial Parks become WAIPA Members?

  Yes. Free Zones and Industrial Parks are promoting FDI into a specific territory and therefore fall in the definition of Art. III.1. of the WAIPA Statutes.

• Can Consulting Firms Become Members?

  No. WAIPA is a forum of IPAs and other entities engaged in promoting a location as a destination for FDI or as a source of Outward FDI.  Consulting firms may however seek to partner with WAIPA for certain specific projects, that WAIPA may seek to develop. Proposals for joint work may be also submitted to the WAIPA Permanent Secretariat.

• Are Only Public Entities Elligible to Become Members?

  No. An IPA may be organized either as a private, semi-private or public entity and have different sources of funding. WAIPA Membership does not require that the applicant be a public entity. Provided the main objectives of an applicant are the promotion of a country, political sub-division within a country or uncontested territory of a country as a destination for, or source of, FDI, then the application for membership will be considered. Although some level of background check is conducted, the application review does NOT take into account the chosen legal form or the public or private nature of the applicant´s funding.
   
  

• Can Several Agencies From The Same Country Equally Become WAIPA Members?

  Yes. The territorial administration in every country has its particularities and this is reflected in the organization and division of investment promotion activities. Also, the number of sub-national (State, Province and/or Municipal)  IPAs is on the rise. WAIPA welcomes national and sub-national IPAs into its membership base. It is however required that the competences be well-defined at the country of origin of the applicant IPA and that there be no conflict with another Member's competences. The WAIPA Permanent Secretariat will generally assume there to be no conflict of competencies. Objections, however, may be raised - within a reasonable time - with respect to overlaps, by a Member agency already belonging to WAIPA's membership base.

• How Do I Apply For Membership?

  Access the "Apply for Membership" section of WAIPA Website, fill in on-line form and click on "Submit". It is important to note that submission of this on-line form constitutes an expression of your interest to join WAIPA. Following receipt of your submission, the WAIPA Permanent Secretariat will contact the applicant and request further information and clarification. A minimum background analysis is conducted prior to acceptance. Acceptance is also conditional - for a certain period of time - on no objection being  raised by an entity already belonging to WAIPA membership base. This opposition, however, needs to be justifiable.