1、CAPACITY BUILDING FOR FRANCOPHONE LDCsON INVESTMENT PROMOTIONIMPACT REPORTPREFACEIn 2022/2023,a successful collaboration between the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies(WAIPA),the Enhanced Integrated Framework(EIF),and the Islamic Development Bank(IsDB)resulted in the“Capacity Buildin

2、g For Francophone LDCs on investment Promotion”project.This initiative has extended its impact to 17 Least Developed Countries(LDCs).This report provides an overview of the projects outcomes and gives selected case studies of the impact it had on organizations.Promoting investment and FDI has always

3、 been an important pillar for economic development.The promotion of investment goes hand in hand with fostering economic growth,creating employment opportunities,transferring knowledge,and advancing technological capabilities,among other benefits.For LDCs,unlocking investment opportunities and attra

4、cting investments remains unevenly open compared to the rest of the word,and requires more than raw potential and resources.For these nations,efective investment promotion can prove particularly crucial,given their unique challenges and potential for economic transformation.LDCs have vast lands,natu

5、ral resources,and especially human capital eager to help grow the economy.These nations have Investment Promotion Agencies or departments stafed with individuals who are already working on investment opportunities.Yet,there is potential for more efcient and streamlined initiatives and eforts.What is

6、 needed is proper direction,orientation,and training to ensure that these people are working in the most efcient and efective way possible.Considering the importance of these initiatives,the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies(WAIPA)embarked on a project aiming at enhancing the capaci

7、ties of IPAs within LDCs.This program is a collaboration between The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies(WAIPA),the Enhanced Integrated Framework(EIF),and the Islamic Development Bank(IsDB).The program follows the success of the 2021 WAIPA EIF capacity building project for least devel

8、oped countries(LDCs).This impact report presents the results of a qualitative analysis of the project.It gives a overview of the projects objectives,execution,and significant achievements with regards to participating organizations.SECTION 1:JOURNEY TOWARDS THE PROGRAMThe road to this collaboration

9、was paved with a shared vision of WAIPA,the EIF,and the ISBD and a commitment to the shared goals of sustainable development in least developed countries.After the successful WAIPA EIF capacity building project for least developed countries(LDCs)taken place in 2021,WAIPA and its partners have sensed

10、 the need to have more beneficiaries and to develop a program in French with the same objective to reach and answer the needs of francophone LDCs.This idea was influenced by the understanding that language barriers can sometimes hinder efective communication and the sharing of best practices.The pro

11、gram has been crafted with the primary aim to enhance investment promotion capacities of francophone LDCs and has been designed following a preliminary survey to identify the needs of participants,which included IPAs,National Implementation Units and other government ofcials in LDCs.The program had

12、a special focus on attracting and facilitating sustainable investments,in line with Sustainable development goals(SDGs).The timeline that follows charts the programs progression and its significant milestones.Initial Contact and Alignment of Vision:Identification of common goals between WAIPA,the EI

13、F,and the IsDB:enhancing investment promotion activities of IPAs in francophone LDCs.Building upon the success of the previous WAIPA-EIF capacity-building program and the intention to expand it.The ofcial launch of the program was marked by an initial kick-of meeting.Initial evaluation of the specif

14、ic needs of IPAs in Francophone LDCs.Following this assessment,a tailored training program in French was crafted with our partner OCO Global.FEBRUARY 2022ALIGNMENT OF VISIONJUNE 2022PROGRAM LAUNCHMeeting with program participants at the World Investment Conference.LDC IPA Conference:A roundtable dis

15、cussion was organized,focusing on recent investment trends and the implications for IPAs long-term strategiesSEPTEMBER 2022 WORLD INVESTMENT CONFERENCEMARCH 2022PROGRAM DESIGNEnd of virtual training sessions with OCO Global.MARCH 2023END OF TRAININGEvaluation and analysis of the programs impact on p

16、articipating IPAs.LDC IPAs conference at the Annual Investment Meeting covering:Targeting opportunities and constraints in engaging with potential investors.IPAs strategy and engaging with the private sector.Global multi-laterals and the investment-building process.Program closing ceremony at AIM wh

17、ich included the WAIPA Investment Award Honoring Exemplary Adaptation of Investment Policies by IPAs.MAY 2023 AIM&END OF TRAININGTraining sessions with OCO Global began,focusing on the following priority themes:FDI Strategy Business Intelligence&Research Lead generation AftercareAdditionally,the tra

18、ining covered the following themes:Organization&Governance Marketing&Communication Investor assistance Monitoring of the FDI performance Policy advocacyJULY 2022START OF TRAININGJUNE/JULY 2023EVALUATION AND FEEDBACKWAIPA is honored to have been working closely with EIF and ISDB on enhancing investme

19、nt promotion capacities in francophone least developed countries.This has been a very precious project to us and has always been considered a part of WAIPAs overall engagement with IPAs and similar bodies from LDCs.WAIPA has been fortunate to be a part of their journey and to contribute to building

20、an ecosystem that enables them to attract sustainable investors.SECTION 2:VOICES FROM THE PROJECT“Read what WAIPAs CEO and project partners have to say about the program and its objectives.Ismail ErsahinExecutive Director&CEO,WAIPAThe program will make significant contribution it will help enhance t

21、he skills and capabilities of participating Francophone LDCs IPAs,and will help strengthen cooperation among IPAs,not only in investment promotion,but also in investment facilitation and policy advocacy this will help attract sustainable investment,as well as improve the business climate and leverag

22、e additional resources to meet the SDGs.“Amer BukvicAg.Director General Global practices and partnerships at the IsdBSupporting LDCs to attract sustainable investments to priority export sectors is at the heart of the Enhanced Integrated Framework mission.The LDCs,more than ever,need to bring social

23、 growth,export opportunities,and must deepen regional integration and post-covid recovery.In addition,transition to green economy is now a reality for the LDCs.It requires concerted efort from national stakeholders,regional and global partners in promoting and facilitating sustainable investment,esp

24、ecially in line with the sustainable development goals.“Hang Tran Senior coordinator,EIF WTOThe program had participants from IPAs,National Implementation Units and other government organizations,from 14 countries,and with a 38%female participation.Participating countries included:Senegal,Mauritania

25、,Mali,Guinea,Burkina Faso,Niger,Chad,Benin,Togo,Central African Republic,Congo,Rwanda,Comoros,Madagascar,Haiti.To collect feedback of participants,surveys were conducted assessing their overall satisfaction,the quality of the program,the likelihood of implementing the training in their daily tasks,a

26、nd any impact on their respective department or agencys strategy and operations.Feedback from 14 participant organizations have reflected great satisfaction.Presented below are the results of our evaluation covering participants satisfaction,overall quality of the program,the extent to which partici

27、pants felt their skills and knowledge in investment attraction were enhanced,the applicability of the training content to their everyday IPA roles,the programs success in meeting its preset objectives,and whether participants would recommend the program to other IPA professionals.is the average rati

28、ng of the program quality by participants.is the average participants satisfaction from the program.of respondents have afrmed that the program has met its stated objective.is the extent to which the program has improved participants skills and knowledge in FDI attraction.of the training content is

29、applicable in daily IPA activities according to participants.of respondents would recommend other IPA professionals to take part of this program.SECTION 3:PROGRAM KEY ACHIEVEMENTSRemarkably,the results indicate that the totality of feedback ratings exceeded the 80%threshold,highlighting the programs

30、 efectiveness and added value it brought to participants.When participants were asked to describe the program in one word or phrase,the responses were overwhelmingly positive.Many described it as interesting and super interesting,while others labeled it excellent.Content was described with terms lik

31、e in-depth,and its applicability was highlighted with the word relevant.Another response from several attendees was:We need more of these!showcasing the programs perceived added value and the demand for similar initiatives in the future.Our survey has also collected feedback and insights on post-tra

32、ining activities and intentions.We have inquired our participants about:Whether they have developed/reviewed an action plan or strategy following the training.If they have initiated any post-training activities specifically to attract investments.If the training directly resulted in the generation o

33、f potential investment leads.Many respondents have afrmed their proactive engagement post-training.Participants,such as the Burkina Fasos investment promotion agency,have spoken about how they are in the process of identifying activities to include in their future action plans.Meanwhile,investment p

34、romotion departments,like the one at the Tchads Ministry of Industrial and commercial development,and promotion of private sector,have mentioned revising existing strategies and action plans for the upcoming years.Other participants have also spoken of important changes in action plans and at the or

35、ganizational level,such as restructuring,setting quantifiable objectives,and more.Two standout examples of such proactive implementation can be seen in Guinea IPA and Comoross IPA.Their case studies,which will be discussed later in this article,will shed light on the significant transformations they

36、 initiated.When it comes to the direct generation of potential investment leads from the program,respondents generally did not report immediate results.While there were mentions of engaging with specific investors from countries like China,India,and Italy,and some participants who indicated prospect

37、ive discussions in certain industries,its essential to note that such impacts are typically observed over the long term rather than in immediate post-training evaluations,and that this has aligned with our expectations.Given this,it is an achievement to see numerous participants actively applying wh

38、at theyve learned,showcasing the programs value,applicability,and impact.Areas of improvement and suggestions:Feedback from participants also suggested areas of improvement and suggestions.A recurrent one from participants was the preference for face-to-face training sessions,as many find them to be

39、 more engaging and efective.Additionally,there was an emphasis on the importance of taking into account the unique ecosystem of African countries in the content to ensure more relevance.Many participants also expressed interest in having further trainings,particularly ones focusing on more specializ

40、ed and technical topics,indicating the perceived value and need for such programs.The francophone LDC program has been key in bringing transformative change.It has played a role in reshaping investment promotion strategies and practices within participating organizations.Feedback from participants s

41、urvey indicated not only satisfaction but also tangible and operational improvements.The Private Investment Promotion Agency in Guinea-APIP Guinea-stands out as one of the examples of this transformative journey.Following the program,personnel of the agency that attended the program have taken signi

42、ficant measures with the investment promotion department.Starting with an organizational review of its Investment Promotion department,the agency has shown its efforts in ensuring efficient investor relations.The agency has introduced a role specifically for investment tracking and aftercare and hav

43、e added the fact that now recruitment of investment attraction ofcers should be people with more of amarketing profile.All of these eforts come afterthe agency,following the training,have sensedthe importance of reinforcing eforts to developvalue propositions and target investors.In thissame philoso

44、phy,the agency is now also workingon reinforcing the use of the Hubspot CRMplatform for investment tracking and monitoring.In addition,the agency,and following the program,is now adopting a more forward-thinking and proactive approach manifested in their clear incorporation of quantifiable KPIs into

45、 their operational action plan.The department of investment promotion have implemented goals of targeting at least 50 potential investors annually and overseeing and monitoring a minimum of 20 projects each year.In anticipation of the Guinea Investment Forum on the 5th and 6th of March 2024,the agen

46、cy has also reviewed its engagement and outreach strategy to now adopt a more refined investor mobilization strategy.The department of investment promotion have designed an in-depth action plan for targeting potential investors for every opportunity in their catalog of public and private projects.Th

47、ey have also developed an insightful dashboard that will serve as a strategic l,categorizing potential investors by type of investment sought and by available financing terms.The francophone LDC program has undeniably been a program that resulted in an important transformation.Digging deeper into th

48、e experiences of its participants,we also appreciate the story of Comoros.The training provided through the program has had a great impact within the Comoros Investment Agency.While the agency had human resources,the training had equipped with more direction and orientation necessary to fully harnes

49、s their eforts in investment promotion.Upon participating in the program,the Agency recognized the need for further internal training.The training within the program have brought to light areas that required enhancement and SECTION 4:SUCCESS STORY:INSPIRING CHANGECONCLUSION:The collaboration between

50、 the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies(WAIPA),the Enhanced Integrated Framework(EIF),and the Islamic Development Bank(IsDB)demonstrates the transformative potential of program initiatives in contributing to the development of the investment landscape in LDCs.Voices of organizers and

51、 participants,including the ones in Guinea and Comoros,are full of appreciation and express enriched knowledge and evident advancement.The program,an outcome of the combined expertise of our partners,stands as testament to what a focused vision,grounded in sustainable goals,can achieve.As we look at

52、 the programs results and feedback,WAIPA will continue to work on initiatives and programs for LDC IPAs and related bodies.We are convinced that together with partners we can continue to create concrete outcome towards more sustainable investment environments and meaningful impact in the LDCs.furthe

53、r training.Following the program,the agency has run a survey internally to identify further training needs relying on the programs training.With that,the agency has been able to develop a new training plan.Within their organizational structure,the agency,and thanks to the training that highlighted t

54、he importance of aftercare and investor evaluation,underwent a restructuring in their investment promotion department.As a result,the“follow-up of investments”function was reoriented and assigned towards the aftercare”service in the agency,while it was previously housed within the investment promoti

55、on department.Meanwhile,the evaluation of investments function remains within the department,emphasizing its importance for efective tracking and monitoring.This important reorientation showcases the agencys commitment to not just attracting but also retaining and nurturing its investors,ensuring th

56、at every task is managed by specialists for efective and good tracking.When it comes to the action plan of the department,many aspects have been reviewed following the program,as it let them revisit their 2022-2023 action plan emphasizing on refining the public-private dialogue,ensuring that investo

57、rs find a conducive and open platform for discourse.Further,the agencys approach to targeting specific countries for investment,underwent change.They transitioned from a geography-centric strategy centered on specific countries to one that takes into account diverse criteria,targeting countries base

58、d on interest and other indicators,and therefore ensuring a comprehensive approach to attracting potential investors.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:VIDEO TESTIMONIALWe extend our deepest appreciation to our partners and organizers who contributed to the success of the francophone LDC program and to each participan

59、t that has played an invaluable role in making this program engaging and with a great added value.To watch further testimonials from our project partners and participants,click HERE WAIPAorgWAIPAWAIPAorgGENEVAMaison Internationalede IEnvironnement 2(MIE2)9,Chemin de Balexert 1219 Chatelaine,Geneva-Switzerland+41 22 796 68 62infowaipa.orgwaipa.org