The Board of Investments (BOI) and the International Institute for Sustainability Development (IISD) gathered investment negotiators, policymakers and international organizations to exchange innovative ideas toward a sustainable and resilient economy during the 16th Investment Policy Forum (IPF) on Oct. 16, 2024.
Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo underscored the importance of the IPF to come up with innovative approaches and collaborative solutions towards genuine sustainable development based on the collaboration of delegates from international organizations and different countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Carribean and Europe.
“Sustainability in all its dimensions has highlighted the critical role of developing certain strategic and oftentimes emerging sectors, and it is in these sectors wherein the intersection of technology, access to markets, and natural resources or endowments has been all the more important,” he said.
Rodolfo said IPF is a vital platform to highlight the shared commitment to enhance the investment environment and foster inclusive economic growth.
He recognized the IISD’s Model International Agreement on investment for sustainable development, which is a useful tool for the government and stakeholders in negotiations.
Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, IISD Europe vice-president for global strategies and managing director told the attendees that the IPF aims to come up with horizontal coherence and coordinated action to align sustainable investments with other fields such as tax, human rights and climate change.
“We will not just exchange ideas on abstract concepts, but we will get into technical details and identify concrete solutions,” she said.
She said that for this to be effective, it is important for the delegates of the forum to coordinate and avoid overlapping and fragmentation.
“Through our collective efforts, we can develop tools, policies, and reforms necessary to create a sustainable future. Let us take the inspiration from the resilience of the host country, the Philippines,” she said, emphasizing the country’s adaptability to overcome challenges.
