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Foreign Direct Investment, Income Inequality and Poverty: Experiences and Policy Implications

28 February 2003 - Conference, London

  • Many developing country governments regard the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a policy priority. Much has been said about the effects of FDI, but little is known about the distributional impact and what policies might help to improve the developmental impact of FDI. Is FDI good for development, income distribution and the poor? Does FDI help to provide decent work? What are the channels through which FDI affects development? What type of policies have helped improve the developmental ompact of FDI where? What is the role of corporate strategies, host country policies and international policies? Presentations aim to shed light on one or more of these questions, building on evidence from around the world, including Sub Saharan Africa and Latin America.

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    Speakers:
    Carolyn Jenkins - Centre for the Studies of African Economies, University of Oxford
    Eddy Lee, Director International Policy Group, ILO, Geneva
    Simon Maxwell, Director, Overseas Development Institute, London
    Watipaso Mkandawire, Regional Investment Agency Unit, COMESA, Lusaka
    Michael Mortimore, Chief , Unit on Investment and Corporate Strategies, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Chile
    Sheila Page - Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute, London
    Dirk Willem te Velde - Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute, London

     

  • An ODI conference. This event was an output of the following ODI project: Foreign Investment and Income Inequality in Latin America .
10.00-10.30
Opening remarks (Simon Maxwell, director Overseas Development Institute. London, and Dirk Willem te Velde, Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute)
10.30-12.15
FDI in Latin America: chair Sheila Page
“The Impact of TNC Strategies on Development in Latin America and the Caribbean” by Michael Mortimore (Chief, Unit on Investment and Corporate Strategies, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Santiago de Chile)
“Foreign direct investment and income inequality in Latin America: Experiences and policy implications” by Dirk Willem te Velde (ODI)
Discussion
12.15-13.15
Lunch
13.15-15.00
FDI in Sub-Saharan Africa: chair tba
“Foreign direct investment in Southern Africa: determinants, form and implications for development”' by Carolyn Jenkins (Centre for the Studies of African Economies, University of Oxford.)
“Creating Wealth through FDI in Landlocked COMESA Countries: The Case of Zambia and Uganda.” by Watipaso Mkandawire (Regional Investment Agency Unit, COMESA, Lusaka)
Discussion
15.00-15.30
Tea
15.30-16.15
FDI, Income and Employment around the world: chair tba
tba, Eddy Lee, Director International Policy Group, ILO, Geneva.
16.15-16.45
Lessons learned and Close