Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an integral part of an open and effective international economic system and a major catalyst to development. Yet, the benefits of FDI do not accrue automatically and evenly across countries, sectors and local communities. National policies and the international investment architecture play an important part in attracting FDI to a larger number of developing countries. It is the responsibility of the host countries to put in place a transparent, broad and enabling investment policy environment and to reinforce the human and institutional potentials necessary for such an environment.

With most FDI flows originating in OECD countries, developed countries can contribute to advancing this agenda. They can facilitate the access of developing countries to international markets and technology, and ensure policy coherence for development more generally; encourage non-OECD countries to integrate further into rules-based international frameworks for investment; actively promote the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, together with other elements of the OECD Declaration on International Investment; and share with non-members the peer review-based approach to building investment capacity.

This publication provides a comprehensive review of the issues related to the impact of FDI on development as well as to the policies needed to maximise the benefits.