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CEE ‘key for automotive R&D’

Western European carmakers should consider an R&D footprint in CEE, says McKinsey.




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Tirana: 100 years of growth

Celebrating its centennial, Albania’s capital is ranked among fDi’s top five mid-sized European Cities of the Future 2020/2021 for Cost Effectiveness




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India invites foreign capital

India’s 2020 budget continues the process of opening up to overseas investment.




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France ups investment screening

Investors in France will face greater scrutiny under extended legislation.




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US tops global soft power ranking

The US has the world’s strongest soft power, while China and Russia are rising in influence, according to a recent ranking from Brand Finance.




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fDi Index: investors carried weak sentiment into January as coronavirus threat emerged

Announced greenfield projects into China plummeted in early 2020 with the US and Europe taking the lion's share of global foreign investment. 




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Auckland’s tourism draws major investment opportunities

Steve Armitage, general manager of destination at Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development explains why the New Zealand city’s international profile is growing so fast.




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AstraZeneca expands further into China’s biotech sector

AstraZeneca will set up a R&D centre and an AI innovation centre in Shanghai, as well as create a $1bn fund that would invest in healthcare start-ups.




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Developing nations dominate free zone investment flows

Global free zones may be spurring development in less economically developed countries




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Afghanistan seeks pioneers to reap rewards of its risks

Despite recurrent challenges, Afghanistan’s business environment is improving. Now the authorities are working to persuade investors the rewards are worth the risk through a series of economic and legal reforms. 




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View from Asia: why Asia needs to nurture its tourism offering

Asia outstrips the world for tourist arrivals and is still experiencing growth. Constant maintenance and upgrade are essential to maintain this lead.




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Kazakhstan SWF makes international move

Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, has approved a new 2018 to 2028 strategy that will eventually expand its investment activity beyond the domestic market.




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Industry minister seeks to put Afghanistan back in business

Ajmal Ahmady, Afghanistan's minister of industries and commerce, outlines government efforts to make the country more conducive to business.




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BASF kicks off China megaproject

German chemical giant BASF has begun construction of its $10bn mega project in southern China, which will be the country’s first wholly foreign-owned chemical complex. 




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Pakistan’s UK high commissioner hails land of opportunity

Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, Pakistan’s UK high commissioner, talks about his country’s potential for foreign investors.




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Chinese investment to Europe at record high

Sino-European foreign direct investment is converging, according to data from fDi Markets.




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Zibo hopes to score investment goals

The eastern Chinese city of Zibo is recognised as the official birthplace of football. However, its local government is hoping it will soon be known for its excellence in the chemical, medical and manufacturing industries.




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Is Pakistan back on the tourist trail?

Having experienced issues with security and bureaucracy for decades, Pakistan is making a comeback as a tourism destination. However, foreign investors have yet to make their presence felt in the sector.




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View from Asia: the crippling effect of coronavirus

China's coronavirus outbreak is having a seismic effect in Asia and beyond, writes Lawrence Yeo.




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Kyrgyzstan ramps up efforts to improve image

Kyrgyzstan is trying to stabilise a volatile business environment by diversifying its economy away from gold and remittances, and employing an ombudsman to reassure investors. 




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Trade tensions hit South Korea FDI

The situation between the US and China is bad news for South Korea’s investment climate.




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Balochistan representative hails new dawn

Sardar Popalzai, president of the Balochistan Economic Forum, talks about the blue economy and the Pakistani province’s tourism potential.




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Zonamerica looks beyond Latin America for expansion opportunities

Uruguay-based Zonamerica has successfully expanded into Colombia and China, and is now looking to export its model to other parts of Asia and Africa.




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View from the Americas: the evolving political economy of FDI

We are currently in a state of heightened business and economic disruption and sociopolitical activism, which only looks set to intensify. 




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Mexico teams up with Singapore to launch Tehuantepec trade corridor

President Obrador aims to mobilise billions in public and private investment to create an alternative to the Panama Canal along the Tehuantepec corridor. 




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Uruguay ‘best country to invest in’

US News report ranks investable countries, with surprise results at the top.




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Jamaican tourism minister seeks to explode myths

Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s minister of tourism, talks about key investment opportunities and the need for better international reporting when natural disasters strike.




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FDI health checks could boost emerging markets

US-led vetting and certification of big-ticket projects may go a long way to allaying western investor concerns about rule of law and transparency issues, says intelligence firm Alaco’s head of content.




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Will FDI screening become the new norm?

The trend towards the vetting of foreign investment, especially projects that involve advanced technology and national data or pose potential security threats, is on the rise. David Gabathuler and Matthew T West give a trans-Atlantic perspective.




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ECCB governor hopes for digital currency boost

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank is to launch a digital currency for the benefit of its dispersed island economies – essential to a region that has been disproportionately affected by climate change-induced disasters, governor Timothy Antoine tells fDi.




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The winners and losers of the USMCA

Early reports on the new trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada – known as the USMCA – suggest that the US is getting the better end of the deal. But what are the implications of the new rules of origin?




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Microsoft makes a crossborder connection in North America

While governments grow more protectionist over trade and physical borders, companies such as Microsoft are bridging the gap by funding international collaborative enterprises.




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View from the Americas: time for action on SDGs

Giant investment firm BlackRock throwing its weight behind sustainability issues is sending a signal to the corporate world to respond urgently to global calls for action, writes Gregg Wassmansdorf.




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Brazil sees FDI boost in 2019

Brazil’s FDI flows were boosted in 2019 by the government’s privatisation programme.




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How venture capital helps start-ups expand globally

Venture capital funding has reached record levels in recent years, enabling start-ups to expand across borders – but their ability to do this depends on their type of business, and where they are founded.




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Wrocław tops fDi's 2020 Return on Investment ranking

Poland’s Wrocław has turned in a stellar performance in fDi’s Return on Investment study, landing the city the top slot in the Return on Budget and Return on Personnel Investment categories. 




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The Global Lawyer: Is NAFTA 2.0 a litigator's dream?

Replacing the “nightmare” that was Nafta was a dream of US president Donald Trump – but its replacement appears to favour few groups except for dispute resolution firms.




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Latin America embraces China's Belt and Road with enthusiasm

Up to 18 countries across Latin America have joined China’s new Belt and Road Initiative, hoping to boost their infrastructure development and investment.  




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Biotech's new battlegrounds

Scientific innovation, a conducive regulatory climate and increased globalisation of drug markets are driving an investment boom in biotechnology, with small companies and emerging markets shaking up the sector.




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Bolivian minister hails tourism increase

Marcelo Eduardo Arze García, Bolivia’s vice minister of tourism, tells Sebastian Shehadi why tourists are turning their attention to one of South America's less explored destinations. 




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Which FDI sectors could benefit from the coronavirus crisis?

Wavteq's Henry Loewendahl discusses which sectors retain potential for foreign investment amid the current global crisis 




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End of the road for Vodafone India?

A government bailout for the ailing subsidiary of the telecoms powerhouse has fallen through. 




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View from Europe: will European investment go local?

Long-dominant global supply chains look less tenable in the light of pressures ranging from pandemics to disasters, trade tensions and protectionism.




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Gambling liberalisation pushes up FDI in leisure sector

FDI in the leisure and entertainment sector has risen sharply in recent years, with Asia-Pacific the leading region 




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Free zones will be key to post-virus world

Covid-19 crisis has laid bare the weaknesses of global value chains around the world




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Dublin tops European HQ location rankings

The UK is the top country, but Dublin is leading city, for foreign companies setting up headquarters in Europe, according to fDi’s ranking.




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Global pharmaceutical FDI on an upward trend

The global pharmaceutical sector has seen consistent growth since 2014, with western Europe a major beneficiary.




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fDi's Virus Diaries: “We’re still receiving new investor attention”

Philomène Dias, director of inward investment at Portuguese investment promotion agency Aicep, on how staff and organisation are working through lockdown.




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UK firm targets booming medicinal cannabis market

Eco Equity is one of only a few Europe-based investors in medicinal cannabis from Africa and the Caribbean, an area in which the UK is missing an opportunity, according to CEO Jon-Paul Doran.




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View from Middle East and Africa: UAE moves fast to combat Covid-19

The UAE followed Singapore’s swift reaction to combat Covid-19, to preserve the health of its citizens. Now moves are in place to tackle the country’s economic wellbeing.