The World Investment Forum (WIF) is the global forum on investment and development issues organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Held biennially, the forum aims to strengthen international cooperation in the interest of promoting international investment and its contribution to economic growth and development.

WIF 2010 brings together all investment stakeholders, including governments, businesses, international organizations, investment promotion agencies (IPAs), civil society, and international investment experts and practitioners from across the world.

The first WIF was held in Accra, Ghana, in April 2008, on the occasion of UNCTAD´s twelfth Ministerial Conference (UNCTAD-XII).

The second WIF will be held 6–9 September 2010 in Xiamen, China, on the eve of the China International Fair on Trade and Investment (CIFIT).

WIF 2010 will take place at a time when the global economy appears to be on its way to recovery. The overarching theme will be "Investment for Sustainable Development".

Organized by UNCTAD in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce of China, WIF 2010 is supported by a range of international partners and sponsors, including the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, the International Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations Global Compact and the Principles for Responsible Investment.

Investing in Sustainable Development

The global financial crisis has shaken the world economy and its foundations and structures, and with it the existing international economic order. The crisis has affected the fundamentals of the location determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) flows and reshaped the global FDI landscape. It has changed the investment–development paradigm also in light of the future low-carbon economy.

How to meet these challenges, seize the opportunities, and leverage foreign investment for promoting economic growth and sustainable development in the post-crisis era are amongst the most critical questions of our times. Indeed, these issues rank high on the international economic agenda, which requires a broader vision, decisive action and closer cooperation to bring global FDI and economic growth back on track. WIF 2010 will offer a unique platform for dialogue and interaction among policymakers, IPAs, corporations and other stakeholders, and provide information and insights that should prove useful for their decision-making.