Side Event

Date

Location

FIBES Sevilla Exhibition and Conference Centre Seville, Spain

4th International Conference on Financing for Development

Related countries

Spain

Ministerial Special Event at the 2025 FfD4 Conference

Background and rationale 

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a critical enabler of sustainable development, supporting economic transformation, job creation, and green and digital transitions. However, global FDI flows have declined by 12% in 2023, and many developing economies, including in Africa, struggle to attract investment due to real and perceived risks, policy uncertainties, and financing constraints. 

The annual global SDG financing gap has widened to USD 4 trillion, and could reach USD 6.4 trillion by 2030, underscoring the urgent need to mobilise private sector financing. Africa alone faces a sustainable financing gap of USD 1.6 trillion by 20301, with FDI flows to the continent accounting for just 4% of global FDI in 2023. Moreover, recent evidence reveals that while FDI in green and digital sectors has surged— accounting for 50% of total greenfield FDI – its job creation intensity has declined by 17%.2 This highlights the need for investment policies that boost investment flows while balancing sustainability, inclusivity, and economic growth. 

The Africa Virtual Investment Platform – a joint initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC) and OECD – is designed to improve transparency in investment conditions, address risk perceptions, and support investment policy reforms across the continent. To address these challenges, AVIP will provide regularly updated indicators and analysis of Africa’s investment landscape, covering foreign and domestic investment trends, infrastructure ecosystems, and sustainability impacts. On foreign investment trends and impacts the FDI Qualities Indicators will be leveraged and further developed. 

The event is co-organised by the African Union Commission and the OECD, with the support of Zambia (FfD4 co-host) and the European Union. 

Expected Outcomes 

  1. Commitment from African and OECD countries to improving investment conditions through better data and policy reforms.
  2. Concrete policy recommendations on mobilising quality FDI through better transparency and well-designed incentives.
  3. Recognition of AVIP as a key tool for addressing investment data gaps and supporting informed decision-making.
  4. Alignment with FfD4 discussions on scaling up private and public finance to close the SDG financing gap. 

 

Contacts 

  • Dr. Patrick Ndzana Olomo, Ag. Director Economic Development, Integration and Trade, AUC, [email protected]
  • Dr. Martin Wermelinger, Deputy Head of Investment Division & Head of Sustainable Investment Unit, OECD, [email protected] 
FF4D

Objectives

  • Boost quality FDI: Discuss how investment policies can boost the volumes of FDI in Africa, while ensuring that it contributes to the SDGs, economic, green and digital transformations, and social inclusion.
  • Strengthen transparency: Highlight how AVIP can help address data gaps, reduce risk perceptions, and support better investment policymaking.
  • Leverage global and regional partnerships: Explore how Africa-EU-OECD cooperation can improve investment climates and drive reforms to attract sustainable financing. 

Agenda

08:30

Opening remarks

Moderator

H.E. Mr. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) & Acting Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, Mining, African Union Commission 

Opening remarks 

H.E. Mr. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) & Acting Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, Mining, African Union Commission 

H.E. Mary Beth Goodman, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD 

08:45

Presentation of AVIP and launch of AVIP website

Dr. Patrick Ndzana Olomo, Ag. Director Economic Development, Integration and Trade, AUC 

Antonio Gomes, Deputy Director, Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD 

08:55

High-level panel

H.E. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nigeria 

H.E. Dr. Rania Abdel Moneim Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Egypt

H.E. Ms. Prudence Kaoma, Permanent Secretary for Planning and Administration, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia

H.E. Antón Leis García, Secretary of State & Director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), Spain 

H.E. Dorivaldo Teixeira, Head of the Cabinet of Debt and Public Management, Ministry of Finance, Angola

Reactions from: 

H.E. Carlo Batori, Deputy Director General for Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy 

H.E. Soili Mäkeläinen-Buhanist, Ambassador for Development Finance, Finland 

Zakaria Farahat, Director of International Cooperation, Communication, and Partnerships, Ministry of Investment, Convergence, and Evaluation of Public Policies (MICEPP), Morocco 

Mark Zellenrath, Director, Multilateral Organisations & Human Rights Department, Netherlands 

Markus Reubi, Delegate of the Federal Council for the 2030 Agenda, Switzerland 

Laurent Sarazin, Head of Unit, Directorate Africa, International Partnership, European Commission 

Nan Li Collins, Director, Investment and Enterprise Division, UNCTAD and Chair, UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative

Lisa Sachs, Professor & Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) 

Gunther Beger, Managing Director, SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation, UNIDO

09:50

Closing reflections and next steps

H.E. Mr. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) & Acting Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, Mining, African Union Commission 

H.E. Ragnheidur Arnadottir, Director, OECD Development Centre             

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