Facilitating Asian foreign direct investment and maximizing its benefits for development in African least developed countries: Phase II Preparation of a technical cooperation manual

1. Objectives
   
   To facilitate and promote foreign direct invesment (FDI) by Asian firms into Africa; to increase and strengthen technicl cooperation btween Asia and Africa in the area of FDI; and to enhance skills of national policy makers as well as the private sector in Africa and Asia in formulating strategies, policies and programmes to arttract FDI from Asia and to maximize their ci\ontribution to development.
2. Activities / contents
   
   Preparation of a technical cooperaion manual (best-practice handbook).
   This manual contains a set of policy recommendations to help governments, specialized agencies and business community in Africa and Asia to formulate and implement measures step by step to attract FDI flows and technology from Asian firms and maxmize their contribution to the fulfilment of their development needs and objectives in Africa.In addition the needs Assessment conducted for Africa in the Phase I the manual also draws on interviews with companies, including small and medium-sized enterpraises, based in Asia that made investments in Africa and/or are interested in investing in Africa.Their foreign affiliates in Africa,including those in LDCs will also be interviewed.This handbook will be published at the end of the PhaseII and widey distributed.
   
   
   International conference.
   The results of activities in Phase I are an input to this conference.This forum also provides information and contacts for potential business opportunities of African least development countries (LDCs) for the companies based in Asia. This conference can be integrated into the Asia-Africa Business Forum.
3. Expected outcomes / impacts
   
   Activities in this phase will constitute abasis for the Phase III (final stage) of the project--application and implementation of the best-practice and concrete policies and programmes in selected three African LDCs. The technical cooperation manual and the international conference will enhance skills of Africa (the principle of ownership) to deal with FDI and lead to more FDI flows from Asia.
4. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
   
   The goal of ensuring a sound and conducive environment for FDI in the Agenda for Action in the area of the private sector development in achieved through strengthening the south-south cooperation (the involvement of the private sector in African LDCs through sharing the experiences of Asian firms) and capacity building.

Division on Investment, Technology and Enterprises Development,
UNCTAD, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland