WAIPA World Investment Conference 2010 - Plenary 1
Annual Conferences, 09/08/2010
The President of WAIPA (World Associaton of Investment Promotion Agencies) and Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), Alessandro Teixeira, and Beatriz Nofal, President of ProsperAr and Regional Director of WAIPA in South America, naugurated on Tuesday the XV International Investment Conference of WAIPA 2010, with the participation of more than 300 participants from 76 countries. According to Teixeira, "emerging economies are the most likely to act positively to the global financial crisis. Brazil, for instance, learned not only to react individually but collectively, because only by working together with countries of the region, we will achieve a significant increase in foreign direct investment (FDI)".
WAIPA President gave the example of Brazil and China, two of the few countries that saw their FDI flows increase in recent months. And he said that countries should look for investors not only in their traditional markets but also in new markets, to overcome the ups and downs that the global economy has shown in 2008 and 2009.
To illustrate why the different countries should try to attract more foreign investments in times of global economic turbulence, Nofal took the example of this conference in Buenos Aires, the largest of WAIPA´s history. "Today we gather here 300 participants from 76 countries, among which we have over 230 government officials from national and subnational institutions, summed up WAIPA director for South America.
Nofal also affirmed that sustainability is a priority and that investments should be considered as an engine of innovation, social development as well as environmental and long-term growth. "The consolidation of a new economic era with various growth poles in different parts of the world will be essential to achieve a more balanced and sustainable world economy" said Nofal.
Message from the President
Mr. Alessandro TeixeiraApexBrasil, Brasil
The world witnessed numerous changeups and curveballs in the financial markets over the past months.The rise of new development partners – emerging markets that are channeling billions of dollars to developing countries – has opened possibilities for fresh ideas and resources as well as helped sustain inclusive economic growth.
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