Summary report
Agenda
Investment screening by governments can be a cost effective way to promote responsible investment and, at the same time, avoid negative impacts of agricultural investment. Proper investment screening helps to discourage non-viable investments. However, the encouragement of desirable investments can be an equally important function of the process. These two processes run in different directions, and therefore combining them in screening requires a balancing act. Indeed, while screening provides an opportunity to consider how proposed investments fit with national and local development goals and needs, they also require strong institutional frameworks and processes.
To this end, the IAWG and the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) invited participants from civil society, the private sector, other government entities and development partners to a technical workshop that debated the appropriate process and criteria for screening of proposals and prospective investors. The roles, responsibilities and organizational mandates of different actors, including the MITC, were also discussed.
The workshop resulted in a first outline for a Malawi specific investment screening guide. Participants agreed on the importance of continuous cooperation for strengthening Malawi’s screening process and the capacity of MITC to discourage undesirable forms of investment and attract investment that contributes to sustainable development.
Presentations
MITC
FAO
UNCTAD and the World Bank
Mtalinmaja Holdings
