15/06/05

5 individuals from WAIPA member IPAs to receive scholarships for Economic Development course in Baja California, 23-28 June 2005

The Industrial Development Commission of Mexicali has kindly arranged to waive the tuition fees for 5 individuals from WAIPA member IPAs to attend a course on Economic Development in Mexico. The curriculum consists of three courses offering specialized studies in the area of economic development, taught by the Economic Development Institute of the University of Oklahoma in collaboration with the Industrial Development Commission of Mexicali and supported by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The course consists of 40 hours at the CETYS University campus in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. The course will be held from 23 to 28 June 2005. Candidates successfully passing an IEDC examination at the end of the course will receive a certification in Economic Development. The working language of the workshop will be English and translation into Spanish will be available.

For more information, please contact Mr. Ricardo Martinez at: rmartinez@mexicaliindustrial.com

UNCTAD / WAIPA Training Workshop on IPA Policy Advocacy, 11-13 July 2005, Nairobi, Kenya

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) are organizing a training workshop on Policy Advocacy for IPAs from Africa, to be held from 11 to 13 July 2005, at the Fairview Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop is part of a project executed by UNCTAD, and sponsored by the United Nations Development Account. The objective of the workshop is to familiarize investment promotion professionals with the basic concepts of policy advocacy, the tools that IPAs can apply to advocate for changes in investment laws, regulations and policies and the strategic deployment of those tools to effect changes in the investment environment. The training course begins with an introduction to understanding how policy is made within a country, then discusses how an IPA can systematically collect and organize feedback concerning the policy environment from its investor clientele, and finally examines how IPAs can use their unique position to effect positive changes in the policy environment. The workshop is structured in a way that would enable participants to develop a policy advocacy strategy for their IPA at the end of the training course. The workshop curriculum addresses mainly IPA managers and senior officials involved in policy advocacy, including senior staff of the IPA’s executive office, spokespersons and external relations officers. UNCTAD staff members and consultants will conduct this three-day training course.

Participation at the UNCTAD/WAIPA workshop is free of charge, but each participant will be expected to cover his/her own travel and hotel expenses. A sponsorship is, however, available for IPAs from the least developed countries (LDCs), covering direct economy class airfare to and from Nairobi and four (4) days per diem (at the prevailing UN rate for Nairobi) to cover lodging and meals.

Registration and further information on WAIPA website: www.waipa.org Registration forms, including for the sponsorship, are also available from the WAIPA Secretariat: Fax: +41-22-907-0197, E-mail: Isa-Beatrice.Abel@unctad.org

UNCTAD Workshop on the Settlement of Investment Disputes, 18-21 July 2005, Bangkok, Thailand

Based on the Course on Dispute Settlement in International Trade, Investment and Intellectual Property, specially compiled for UNCTAD by renowned scholars and experts, this workshop offers a general and up-to-date review of dispute settlement procedures by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The workshop is intended for a target audience of professionals dealing with investment issues and particularly: government officials, corporate and industry advisers, trade union representatives, NGOs, practicing lawyers, academics and civil society. Some basic knowledge of the rules of the ICSID is desirable in order to fully profit from this workshop.

On completion of the workshop, participants will have a thorough understanding of the operation of the ICSID dispute settlement system. Throughout, special emphasis is put on the position of developing countries in the system. The workshop activities are spread over a period of four working days. The teaching method is interactive and participatory, based on a combination of lectures, exercises and case studies. This event will host up to 50 participants. The selection of the participants will be based upon the professional qualifications of applicants, and the relevance of the training to the work and the career of the applicants. Participants will be admitted on a "first come, first serve" basis.

The course materials can be downloaded free of charge from the UNCTAD website http://www.unctad.org/dispute

For more information, please contact Chitra Radhakishun, at: Tel +41 22 917 56 95 / Fax + 41 22 917 00 44, E-mail: chitra.radhakishun@unctad.org

WAIPA Regional Workshop on Strategic Marketing, 14-15 September 2005, Luanda, Angola

A regional WAIPA Workshop on Strategic Marketing will be held in Luanda, Angola, from 14 to 15 September 2005 and will be hosted by the National Agency for Private Investment (ANIP). The WAIPA workshop will be sponsored by a consulting firm IBM – Business Consulting Services/Plant Location International, (IBM-PLI) based in Brussels. The programme of the workshop will include three major topics. Firstly, Understanding Investor’s Location Decision-Making will cover such issues as site location; dynamics of the overall FDI market; current global location strategies; recent FDI trends globally and in the African region; the TNCs decision-making process; how IPAs should interact in investors location decision process. Secondly, Designing the Marketing Strategy is to focus on such topics as principles of location marketing; re-active versus pro-active marketing; location as a product : the competitive positioning of the location. Thirdly, Implementing the Marketing Strategy will consider public relations and advertising, including websites; marketing during interactions with prospects (field work, market research, etc.); “happy investors” as a marketing tool; marketing in lead generation (company targeting and aftercare); the sales approach. Under all modules, practical exercises will be organized. The working language of the workshop will be English.

Interested IPAs, particularly from the African region, are welcome to participate in this event. Participation at the training workshop is free of charge, but each participant will be expected to cover his/her own travel and hotel expenses.

For more information, please contact: Ms. Isa-Beatrice Abel, tel: +4122-9071730, e-mail: isa-beatrice.abel@unctad.org, or Ms. Karine Campanelli, tel: +4122-9074643, e-mail: karine.campanelli@unctad.org, or Mr. Vladimir Pankov, tel: +4122-9075610., e-mail: vladimir.pankov@unctad.org