Workshop on Sustainable Investment for Government Officials in Malawi
Between February 28 and March 2, 2023, IISD held a 3-day in-person training workshop on agricultural investor–state contracts and international investment agreements in Lilongwe, Malawi.
The main objective of the workshop was to enhance government officials' understanding and awareness of:
- The relationship between international investment agreements (IIAs), investment contracts, and investment laws and their role in attracting sustainable investment in Malawi.
- Selected clauses in investment treaties and investment contracts and understanding of investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS).
- Opportunities and risks posed by large-scale agribusiness investments and the role of agricultural investment contracts in mitigating these risks and promoting sustainable development.
- Best practices to enhance policy coherence and improve negotiation outcomes for responsible investments, with a focus on agriculture.
This capacity-building workshop brought together 30 government officials from the Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Trade and Industry; Office of the President; the Green Belt Authority; Ministry of Agriculture Livestock Fisheries and Co-operatives; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Malawi Investment and Trade Centre; Ministry of Finance; Public Private Partnership Commission; Reserve Bank of Malawi; Ministry of Natural Resources Energy and Mining; and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development. These are all relevant institutions dealing with agricultural investment contracts, bilateral investment treaties, and/or agricultural investment laws.
Upcoming events
Through Her Lens: Women leading change in sustainable agriculture and market inclusion
Despite the critical role that women play in agricultural production, they still do not have equal access to global agricultural supply chains on terms that benefit them.
Building Bridges: The State of Nature-Based Investments
Join us for a panel at the Building Bridges conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss the state-of-play of nature-based investments and the potential opportunities they present.
The Pivotal Role of Sustainability for Ukraine’s Reconstruction
This webinar, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Ukrainian Climate Office, will discuss how to incorporate sustainability into Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction plans and share recommendations for implementation.
A Municipal Perspective on the Value of Natural Infrastructure
This webinar will showcase examples the cost-effectiveness of natural infrastructure from a municipal perspective. Focusing on what municipalities need—what evidence and numbers they rely on, and what tools and planning processes are required to ensure that natural infrastructure is assessed alongside traditional infrastructure for cost-effectiveness.