Addressing World Forum, Secretary-General Calls for Bridging Investment Divide

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the ninth World Investment Forum, in Doha today:

I send warm greetings as you gather in Doha for the ninth World Investment Forum.  In a year of profound global challenges, your theme — “Investing for the Future” — affirms a critical truth:  investment is an expression of confidence that tomorrow can be better than today.  Your theme is also a call to action.

The artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor, clean energy, advanced technologies and critical-minerals sectors account for almost half of new global greenfield investment worldwide.

These and other sectors are expected to reshape economies and global production, creating significant opportunities to drive sustainable development.  But, only a fraction of this investment is reaching least developed and lower-middle-income countries.

At a time when demand for capital is intensifying around the world, the Forum is an opportunity to bring Governments, investors, businesses and development partners together to build the partnerships and solutions needed to bridge the investment divide in these and other critical sectors.

It is a chance to encourage the private sector to drive investment in developing countries — especially in renewable energy, technology and critical minerals — creating value that is widely shared by beneficiary communities.

And it is a moment to show global support for the commitments made through last year’s Sevilla Commitment to boost global investment and get development financing flowing at a massive scale.

May this Forum summon the ambition, solidarity and partnerships needed to turn this moment of technological possibility into an era of prosperity for all.  I wish you a successful conference.