(EGM) Foreign Direct Investment in Southeast Asia - Unido

Appendix III: Opening Statement by UNIDO Regional Director
Mr. Jean-Marc Deroy
Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment -- Your Excellency Satit
Sirirangkamanont, Distinguished Delegates and Participants, Experts, Ladies and Gentlemen, on
behalf of Mr. Carlos Magarinos, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO), I am delighted to welcome you all to the UNIDO Expert Group
Meeting on “Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Southeast Asia: Experience and Future Policy
Implications for Developing Countries”.
The genesis of this Expert Group Meeting is the Director General’s acknowledgement of the
success of the Southeast Asian Member States of UNIDO in attracting Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) and enabling that FDI to contribute significantly to the respective
industrialisation processes in the region; and his concern for enabling and facilitating, through
the global forum activities of the Organization, an exchange of experience and practice for the
benefit of the region, other developing countries and the technical co-operation programmes of
UNIDO. Importantly, it is intended to act as a visible demonstration of UNIDO’s commitment
to its Member States and to strengthen the relationships and ties that enable co-operation and
resolve to translate the benefits of industrialisation into improvements in the quality of economic
performance, enhanced levels of employment and sound environmental practice.
UNIDO’s mandate, re-affirmed at the 10 th General Conference in December 2003, gives a
prominent place to investment in industrialisation. At that Conference, the special challenges
confronted by those developing countries marginalised from global investment, technology and
trade flows were highlighted for attention. This EGM is one response to that call for attention –
because the lessons of experience from your regions’ success may, when adapted to the different
conditions of other economies, provide means for policy-makers to enhance their contributions
to national economic success.
The globalisation process of the world industrial economy -- and the key role played by FDI --
presents multi-dimensional challenges to governments, institutions and industry at policy,
regulatory and managerial levels. This EGM is part of UNIDO’s services, and the international
community’s efforts, at making available, to developing countries, the best in thought and
practice.
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