Emerging Markets Network (EMnet)

EMnet is the OECD Development Centre’s business-led platform for dialogue and analysis of policy challenges, economic trends and business opportunities in emerging markets. It brings together high-level public officials, senior executives from multinational corporations and OECD experts.

Network of interconnected people. Interactions between employees and working groups. Social business connections. Networking communication. Decentralized hierarchical system of company. Organization; Shutterstock ID 1985087213; NP: Web

Who we are

Bridging business and development in Africa, Asia and Latin America

Over the last two decades, the world’s economic centre of gravity has shifted dramatically. Between 2000 and 2019, the share of emerging markets in global trade increased from 32% to 46%, and their share as recipients of global foreign direct investment (FDI) from 15% to 46%. Currently, most of the world’s GDP growth occurs in those markets.

Business opportunities are development opportunities. That is why, to inform its work, the Development Centre needs a platform for regular dialogue with private investors, as primary actors of development in those regions. EMnet in turn provides multinationals operating across emerging markets with a space for peer-group exchange informed by OECD expertise, independent data and analysis, and for policy dialogue with the Centre’s Member governments.

How we work

The network hosts meetings on doing business in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean and cross-regional thematic Working Groups on Sustainability, Green Economy and Digital Transformation at OECD Headquarters and abroad.

Activities are steered by a business led advisory group, with Co-Chairs appointed to guide EMnet’s Regional Meetings and Working Groups. The outcomes of our meetings are published as EMnet reports, offering a business perspective on topics under discussion across the OECD Development Centre.

The EMnet thematic Working Groups meet at least once a year to offer a platform for a cross-regional thematic dialogue and an opportunity for engagement with key partners and stakeholders. The Working Groups guide EMnet’s work on key areas that are set to shape growth and innovation across emerging markets in the coming decades.

EMnet events are closed to the public and operate under Chatham House rule to allow for outspoken discussions and share experiences.

Our members

AeTrade (Rwanda)
American Tower Corporation (United States)
AT&T (United States)
Bancolombia (Colombia)
Bayer Crop Science (Germany)
BBVA (Spain)
Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá (Colombia)
Danone (France)
Deutsche Post DHL Group (Germany)
Eni (Italy)
Grupo Santander (Spain)
Mastercard (United States)
MSD (United States)
MUFG Bank (Japan)
Orange MEA (France)
Organon (United States)
Santander Group (Spain)
Telefónica (Spain)
Verisk Maplecroft (United Kingdom)
Walmart (United States)

EMnet fosters collaboration and strategic partnerships, enabling stakeholders to capitalise on emerging market opportunities through dialogue between multinational companies, governments, and development agencies.

Facundo Etchebehere

VP Sustainability Strategy & Partnership, Danone

I had the privilege of engaging with the EMnet where I witnessed their impactful work as a unique business platform promoting dialogues on sustainability, fostering meaningful networking opportunities, and driving initiatives that boost economic growth, digital transformation and social development.

Alejandra Castro

Global Head Partnerships – International Organizations, Bayer Crop Science

Facundo Etchebehere
Alejandra Castro

Our activities

EMnet organises regular meetings on Asia, Africa and Latin America at the OECD headquarters in Paris, on topics of common interest to the Network’s members. EMnet hosts additional meetings in emerging markets based on the recommendations and interests of members.

Digital Transformation

Digital transformation, accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis, is changing business in emerging markets, boosting productivity, transforming regional value chains, accelerating the transition to industry 4.0 and opening new ways of improving public services. How can policies fix connectivity issues, improve access and affordability, and close the remaining digital gaps?

Business and Sustainability

As fiscal space narrows in the context of the pandemic, EMnet’s Working Group on Business and Sustainability identifies the untapped potential of sustainable business to accelerate an inclusive recovery in emerging markets. How can policymakers use ESG and sustainable models and inclusive policies such as Gender to encourage collaborations and drive private sector investment in emerging markets?

Green Economy

Emerging markets are amongst the worst affected by climate change and have most to gain from collective climate ambition. How can governments and business drive private sector transformation, ensure an inclusive transition, and equip employees with the right skills for the future?

With inputs, case studies and recommendations from members, policy notes provide business views on development in emerging markets.

Consult all Emnet reports

Events

10 December 2024 | In-person Meeting, Paris

OECD EMnet Business Meeting on Africa “Investment in Skills to Boost Jobs and Productivity”

21 October 2024 | In-person Meeting, Bogotá

Private sector meeting on Social Issues in LAC

23 May 2024 | In-person Meeting, Paris

OECD EMnet Business Meeting on Latin America: "Unlocking Latin America’s Sustainable Development"

Download the key messages

19 April 2024 | In-person Meeting, Washington DC

OECD EMnet working breakfast on “Embracing Digital Transformation for Inclusive Development in Emerging Markets”

Download the key messages

20 March 2024 | EMnet Webinar

Enhancing ESG Strategies in Emerging Markets

Watch the recording | Download the key messages

28 November 2023 | EMnet Webinar at the OECD COP 28 Virtual Pavilion

Accelerating private investment for the green transition in emerging markets

Watch the recording | Download the key messages (.pdf)

Recent insights

Read all publications

Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2024

This periodical compiles insights from member companies and partners of the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) to help policy makers improve the business environment, attract more quality investment and ultimately advance sustainable development. This edition includes an analysis of the latest foreign direct investment flows into emerging and developing markets as well as conclusions from EMnet meetings held in 2023. It shows that, despite geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, emerging markets closed 2023 with robust growth rates and that this momentum continued into 2024. With inflation declining in most countries and capital flows to emerging market economies increasing, the time is ripe to encourage more private investment to boost economic and social development. The report includes a contribution from Cornell University on the digitalisation process of currencies by central banks in emerging markets.

Learn more
Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2023

As the world approaches the midpoint of 2023, the global economic outlook remains uncertain. Escalating trade tensions, inflationary pressures, tight monetary policies and rising risk perceptions are hindering growth and recovery prospects across emerging markets. Furthermore, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt, while Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine costs thousands of lives and generates global energy and food market tensions, hitting the most vulnerable groups of populations. The OECD Development Centre is committed to support its members during these challenging times. In 2022, the Centre celebrated its 60th anniversary with representatives from both the public and private sectors, reaffirming its role as a space for policy dialogue, where stakeholders can come together, share their experiences and expand their mutual understanding. The Centre is strongly focused on supporting countries in achieving stronger, more shared and greener development.

Learn more
Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2022

While more advanced economies have begun to return to their pre-pandemic trajectories, two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, it is becoming clear that emerging and low-income countries may take years to recover from the socio-economic damage it has caused. In Africa, the pandemic pushed 29 million people back into extreme poverty, undoing much of the progress made since the 1990s. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the poverty rate and inequality increased by three percentage points in 2020. In Emerging Asia, the pandemic threatens to exacerbate pre-existing inequalities within and amongst countries. In this context, developing countries’ narrowing financing capacity to tackle the consequences of the pandemic is deeply concerning. Additionally, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has spread chaos across the region, displacing people and destroying lives, homes and infrastructure, while making the road to recovery even more uncertain. The Emerging Markets Network’s (EMnet) 2022 edition of Business Insights on Emerging Markets provides private sector perspectives on urgent policies to drive a sustainable, resilient and equitable recovery.

Learn more
Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2021

The 2021 edition of Business Insights on Emerging Markets provides a private sector perspective on opportunities and challenges for the private sector in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The publication brings together analysis and insights from the business meetings of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Centre’s Emerging Markets Network (EMnet), interactions with the private sector and desk research, organised in four chapters. A chapter by Cornell University’s Emerging Markets Institute at Cornell’s Samuel Curtis Johnson College of Business complements this publication.

Learn more
Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2020

The 2020 edition of Business Insights on Emerging Markets provides a private sector perspective on investment opportunities and challenges in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. This publication brings together analysis and insights from the business meetings of the OECD Development Centre’s Emerging Markets Network (EMnet), interactions with the private sector and desk research, organised in three regional chapters. An opening chapter by Cornell University’s Emerging Markets Institute at Cornell’s S.C. Johnson College of Business complements this publication. At the time of publishing of this report, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly spreading around the world. OECD analysis indicates a severe impact on the global economy, whose growth prospects were weak but stabilising when the virus hit. Restrictions on the movement of people, goods, and services together with containment measures, factory and border closures have cut output and reduced demand sharply - first in the People’s Republic of China (hereafter: ‘China’) and then globally. Like the rest of the world, emerging markets are facing an unprecedented health and economic crisis, with potentially extreme economic and social consequences. This publication mostly cites figures from before the pandemic, however more recent figures have been added and a box has been inserted after the executive summary and ahead of every chapter to provide a preliminary impact assessment of the crisis.

Learn more
Smart cities as engines for growth in Asia

This Policy Note provides insights from the private sector on the opportunities for growth that smart cities can offer in Asian economies. The analysis builds on discussions which took place at the “Global Challenges for Business in Emerging Markets” meeting organised by the OECD Development Centre’s Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) at the OECD headquarters on 28 March 2019, as well as desk research and bilateral conversations with multinationals operating in emerging markets. Growth in 2020-24 was expected at 5.7% on average, but the region’s projections have been slashed to just over 2% for 2020.

Learn more
Investment and Confidence through Stronger Institutions in Latin American and the Caribbean

Growth is back in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region after years of remaining subdued. Lack of trust in public institutions however weighs down on opportunities for further growth and investment. Political transitions across the region can provide an opportunity to enact reforms that strengthen institutions and underpin economic development. This note provides insights and suggests recommendations from the private sector on how to restore business confidence and support investments in Latin America. The analysis builds on discussions held during the business meetings of the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) held in Paris, France, on 28 May 2018 and in Antigua, Guatemala on 14 November 2018, in addition to desk research and bilateral discussions with EMnet members and other private sector representatives.

Learn more
Infrastructure and regional connectivity in Africa

This note provides insights and policy recommendations from the private sector on how to unlock opportunities for infrastructure development in Africa. The analysis builds on discussions which took place at the business meeting “Infrastructure and Regional Connectivity” organised by the OECD Development Centre’s Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) at the OECD headquarters in Paris on 30 October 2018, back-to-back with the International Economic Forum on Africa.

Learn more
Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2019

The 2019 edition of Business Insights on Emerging Markets provides a private sector perspective on investment opportunities and challenges in Asia, Latin America and Africa. This publication brings together analyses and insights from meetings of the OECD Development Centre’s Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) and interactions with its corporate members, organised in three regional chapters. The Emerging Markets Institute, Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business at Cornell University complements this publication with an introductory chapter, providing analysis of Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI), its internalisation patterns and related policy changes. Chinese OFDI stock in 2016 stood at 30 times its 2000 level. China has been investing increasingly in Latin America, Europe and the United States with its OFDI representing 11.1% of the world’s total flows and 5.9% of the world’s total stock. This rapid overseas expansion has propelled Chinese companies to the top of Fortune Global 500 rankings. The number grew considerably after the global financial crisis from 20 to 111 Chinese firms in 2008-16. However, China’s OFDI fell in 2017 for the first time in 15 years by an estimated 35%. A decline in Chinese outbound acquisitions partly explains the downward trend.

Learn more
Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2018

Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2018 provides a private sector perspective on investment opportunities and challenges in Asia, Latin America and Africa. This publication brings together analyses and insights from meetings of the OECD Development Centre’s Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) and interactions with its corporate members. A chapter by the Emerging Markets Institute, Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business at Cornell University complements this publication with a comparative study of policies promoting outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) in Brazil, China and Korea. While most developing and emerging economies have designated policies to attract inward investment, many are still shy about putting forward equally effective outward FDI policies. Brazil, the People’s Republic of China (hereafter “China”) and Korea are among the few countries that have adopted proactive OFDI policies, to support some of the largest investors in their respective regions. While Latin America was a forerunner in the first phase of the OFDI expansion from emerging markets in the 1970s, in more recent years, Asian countries such as Korea and China have been able to increase OFDI through a number of supportive economic policies. Implemented reforms include the easing of OFDI restrictions, pro-market strategies and the promotion of an internationalisation of domestic firms. Continued support for these efforts is nonetheless less clear in the current global context and remains contingent on how emerging economies continue to adapt to the end of the commodity super cycle in countries like Brazil, as well as increased oversight of OFDI activities in countries like China.

Learn more
Energy Challenges and Business Opportunities in Asia

This policy note provides insights and policy recommendations from the private sector on energy opportunities and challenges in Asia. The analysis builds on discussions at the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) meeting on doing business in Asia, “Energy Challenges and Business Opportunities”, held on 14 March 2017 at the OECD headquarters in Paris. It examines the latest macroeconomic and energy trends and provides overview of recent energy policies, highlighting how policy makers are supporting private-sector-led investments in energy generation and energy technologies.

Learn more
Expanding business through regional integration in Asia

Regional economic integration progressed rapidly in 2015 and 2016 in Asia, with important consequences for future trade and development. This note provides insights and suggested policy recommendations from the business sector on the trade and investment implications of enhanced economic integration in Asia. The analysis builds on discussions at the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) meeting on doing business in Asia, “Expanding Business through Regional Integration”, held on 8 March 2016 at the OECD headquarters in Paris as well as on the analysis of the Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India, in addition to desk research and bilateral discussions with EMnet members.

Learn more
COP21 Paris Agreement: Business perspectives on energy markets and green investments

This Policy Note provides insights and policy recommendations from the private sector on the business implications of the Paris Agreement at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in December 2015. The analysis builds on the “Greening of the Economy’’ Working Group held on 7 March 2016 at the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris and organised by the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet), in addition to desk research and bilateral discussions with EMnet members.

Learn more
Navigating Uncertainty

With an improved economic outlook, Latin America has an opportunity to lay the foundation for innovation-driven growth. This note provides insights and suggests policy recommendations from the private sector on ways to enhance productivity and innovation in Latin America. It gives an overview of regional economic and business trends, highlights public policy efforts to upgrade skills and enhance innovation, and offers private sector insights on opportunities and bottlenecks in areas such as regional integration, digital economy and skills. The analysis builds on discussions at the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) meetings on doing business in Latin America, held on 9 June 2017 in Paris, France, and in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 14 October 2017, as well as on the analysis of the Latin American Economic Outlook 2017, in addition to desk research and bilateral discussions with EMnet members.

Learn more
Reviving investment in Latin America

Latin America is facing a challenging economic outlook, amid slowing global growth and rising signs of protectionism. This note provides insights and suggested policy recommendations from the private sector on ways to enhance trade relations and new investment partnerships, as well as how to support a transition to higher-value goods and services. It gives an overview of economic and business trends in Latin America, highlights public policy efforts to promote trade and investment, and offers private sector insights on opportunities and bottlenecks in areas such as infrastructure, innovation and skills. The analysis builds on discussions at the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) meetings on doing business in Latin America, held on 3 June 2016 in Paris, France, and in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, on 27 October 2016 as well as on the analysis of the Latin American Economic Outlook 2016, in addition to desk research and bilateral discussions with EMnet members.

Learn more
Investing in growing African cities

The 2017 edition of the EMnet Africa Policy Note provides insights and policy recommendations from the private sector on investment challenges in African cities. The note examines the latest macroeconomic trends on the continent and provides an overview of recent urbanisation policies, highlighting how policy makers are supporting private-sector led investments in African cities. The analysis builds on discussions from the business meeting held on 30 September 2016 at the OECD headquarters in Paris and organised by the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) as well as on the analysis of the African Economic Outlook 2016, in addition to desk research and bilateral discussions with EMnet members.

Learn more
Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2015

Business Insights on Emerging Markets 2015 provides views from the private sector on investment opportunities and challenges in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It also highlights the dynamic changes in foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to and from developing countries in these regions. This report compiles analysis from discussions at meetings of the OECD Development Centre’s Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) on doing business in Africa, Asia and Latin America as well as through thematic work on green investment in emerging markets. A report by the Emerging Markets Institute at Cornell University complements this analysis with a study of the changing dynamics of global FDI flows and the increasing role played by multinational firms from developing countries in the global economy. Emerging countries represent an important destination of FDI and, increasingly, a source of outward investment from “emerging multinationals”, or multinational firms from emerging and developing economies. These countries received half of global FDI in 2014, a sharp increase from less than 20% of global FDI flows in 1985. Despite the economic downturn during 2008/09, FDI to emerging and developing countries fell less than that to Europe or North America, highlighting their strength as centres of growth with increasing populations, changing consumption patterns, and rising purchasing power.

Learn more

Contact us

For more information about the Network and how you can join it, please contact devemnet@oecd.org

Publications

Featured publications

Data

Featured data

News & Events

Featured Events

About

Engage with us

Work with us

Publications

Featured publications

Data

Featured data

News & Events

Featured Events

About

Engage with us

Work with us

Emerging Markets Network (EMnet)

Who we are

Bridging business and development in Africa, Asia and Latin America

How we work

Our members

Our activities

Events

Recent insights

Contact us

Topics

Countries & regions

Data

Publications

News & Events

About

Featured topics

Agriculture and fisheries

Climate change

Development

Digital

Economy

Education and skills

Employment

Environment

Finance and investment

Governance

Health

Industry, business and entrepreneurship

Regional, rural and urban development

Science, technology and innovation

Society

Taxation

Trade

Energy

Nuclear energy

Transport

Featured topics

Agriculture and fisheries

Climate change

Development

Digital

Economy

Education and skills

Employment

Environment

Finance and investment

Governance

Health

Industry, business and entrepreneurship

Regional, rural and urban development

Science, technology and innovation

Society

Taxation

Trade

Energy

Nuclear energy

Transport

Countries A - C

Countries D - I

Countries J - M

Countries N - R

Countries S - T

Countries U - Z

Regional and global engagement

Countries

Countries A - C

Countries D - I

Countries J - M

Countries N - R

Countries S - T

Countries U - Z

Regional and global engagement

Publications

Publications

Featured publications

Data

Data

Featured data

News & Events

News & Events

Featured Events

About OECD

About

Engage with us

Work with us

Featured topics

Agriculture and fisheries

Climate change

Development

Digital

Economy

Education and skills

Employment

Environment

Finance and investment