Three Reasons Why a WTO Agreement on Investment Facilitation for Development is Important

This brief article focusses on three important reasons why an Investment Facilitation for Agreement is important for individual WTO Members and why, therefore, all Members should join the negotiations: it helps countries to retain and attract more and higher quality FDI flows; it constitutes a credible reform commitment device that sends a positive signal to international investors; and it provides for flexibility and technical assistance and capacity building to upgrade investment facilitation. The note ends on three positive externalities the conclusion of the Agreement would generate