As the great and good come together to discuss and evaluate the world’s economic development, Asia – and China in particular – is getting the lion’s share of international attention.  Summit season for international economic development is officially under way. The IMF-World Bank annual meeting has just wrapped up in Washington, DC. Coming up on the agenda is the WTO ministers’ meeting in Hong Kong in December, followed by the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland in January.

In the wake of hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Economic Development (LED) has been helping companies in the area to rehouse their employees and get their businesses up and running again.

Capital Partners, a US private equity firm that focuses on investment between the US and Dubai, has signed an agreement with Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone (Tecom),part of Dubai Holding, to develop a $1bn building project in Dubai Internet City.

Even before hurricane Katrina, most of the companies that I consulted with ‘screened out’ New Orleans. Virtually every senior executive in a global 1000 enterprise has spent time there — for the Super Bowl, conventions and directors’ meetings — and they have enjoyed its many menus. But despite, or perhaps because of, this familiarity, few of those executives saw New Orleans as a place in which to expand their enterprises.

Anyone who is still in denial that environmental legislation affects where companies invest must also be blind to growing levels of environmental assessment in inter-governmental trade and investment negotiations.

Described as an international first, industry bodies representing India and South Africa’s call centre sectors have joined forces to promote their respective countries to international customers more effectively.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) has warned that trends in the first half of the year suggest growth of the world economy is in danger of slowing down.

London has increased its lead over Paris as Europe’s best business location for the 16th consecutive year, according to 500 top European companies surveyed in Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker’s European Cities Monitor 2005.

Owen Arthur, the prime minister of Barbados, has mounted a staunch defence of his government’s economic policies in the face of IMF concern and signs of waning political support at home, writes James Eedes.

The Malaysian Industrial Development Authority must fight for foreign investment in the world’s most competitive region. Lawrence Yeo finds out how it intends to compete with the big five: China, India, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea.

The Energy Charter Treaty, a long-obscure treaty governing international trade and investment in the energy sector, is slowly gaining profile with foreign investors. Group Menatep, the major shareholder in Yukos, is banking on Russia’s signature to the Treaty as a means of recouping its losses in the imploded energy firm.

China has drafted new regulations aimed at attracting foreign capital to its north-east provinces to promote the development of the region. The laws would grant government officials in those provinces the right to approve FDI projects of up to $100bn in promoted sectors and up to $5bn in restricted sectors.

GE Healthcare invests in Shanghai plant:

GE Healthcare, a UK unit of US General Electric Company, has announced a $37.5m investment to expand its production facility in Shanghai to meet increasing demand for its products in China and throughout the world.

LSI Logic plans centre in Dubai:

California-based LSI Logic Corp has agreed to locate a semiconductor design and engineering development centre in Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), a semiconductor technology park.

Hyundai in talks over Czech plant:
South Korea-based Hyundai Motor Company is in talks with the Czech government over plans to build a €1bn plant in the Czech Republic to boost its presence in the European market. When built, the plant will be the third European production base of the Hyundai Motor Group.

One of China’s largest independent producers of automotive components, ASMICO Technologies, is setting up its UK base in Leicestershire, in the East Midlands region, to achieve its goal of becoming the first Chinese global leader in the field.

Middle East winner Kaya Tuncer, founder of Turkey’s successful Aegean Free Zone and president of the company that runs it, ESBAS, is feted at a dinner banquet in Istanbul.

Kaya Tuncer shows off his Personality of the Year - Middle East award after being presented with it by fDi editor Courtney Fingar at a September ceremony at the Istanbul Hilton hotel. The event was attended by business and political leaders and received heavy coverage in the Turkish media.

American and Canadian political leaders and investment promotion professionals receive fDi awards fot North America's most promising locations for inward investment, at industry events in Chicago and Philadelphia.

Before addressing the International Economic Development Council’s annual conference in Chicago in September, mayor Richard M Daley accepts the city’s handful of fDi awards. In the cities division, Chicago won the categories of best economic potential, best transport, best IT and telecom infrastructure, and best FDI promotion strategy before going on to win the overall title of US City of the Future 2005/06.

Pan-African mobile communications company Celtel has signed up its six millionth customer – proof that offering the right service in Africa will be rewarded with success. Courtney Fingar reports.

The largest foreign investment to date into the Czech city of Ostrava has been in its traditional strong point, the steel industry. But as mayor Ales Zednik tells fDi, this ‘second city’ is building up its infrastructure, issuing bonds and trying to break out of its outdated mould.

A year and a half after ushering Malta into the EU, prime minister Lawrence Gonzi tells Courtney Fingar how the tiny island country is capitalising on its political ties to Europe and geographic proximity to other, more exotic markets.

Once an American icon, Ford Motor Company has had a rough ride in recent years. But, as chairman and CEO William Clay Ford Jr tells Karen E Thuermer, the embattled auto maker is determined to win back market share from Asian rivals and re-establish a reputation for innovation.

Modena is famous throughout the world for Ferrari cars, Luciano Pavarotti and balsamic vinegar. But there is much more to it than that.

An ambitious project to create lakes in the Libyan desert is looking for international scientific co-operation and could offer long-term FDI opportunities. Kate Luxford reports.

As the Algerian government cranks up reform efforts, the most immediate investment opportunities are in hydrocarbons. But others could soon open up, writes James Eedes.

China’s currency revaluation, though gradual, may result in a shift away from investment in the relatively wealthy coastal metropolises and into the increasingly connected interior regions, reports Erika Morphy.

Foreign investors are piling into the Indian property market to take advantage of a strong economy and new FDI rules that encourage overseas companies to set up subsidiaries and joint ventures. Yet with bigger investments comes greater risk. Report by Kala Rao.

Unable to compete with its neighbours on cost, South Korea is fashioning itself as a regional hub offering advanced port facilities, a highly educated workforce and a reduced regulatory burden. Ashleigh Lezard reports.

South Korea is seeking to reinvent itself as the business nerve centre of north-east Asia by creating free economic zones which will help attract investment from global multinational companies. Ashleigh Lezard reports.

South Korea’s Digital Media City is intended to be a world-class centre for media content development, production and distribution. With Korean culture spreading across Asia and beyond through online games and TV shows, the new city is expected to reap the benefits.

With its educated workforce, good infrastructure and excellent IT connections, Korea is simply unbeatable as a location for foreign business.

Mari E Pangestu, Indonesia’s minister of trade, talks to Tony Sitathan about her government’s determination to play a bigger part in Asian economic integration.

If you build a free zone on a practically deserted island, will investors come? Hundreds have gone to Batam in Indonesia, but there would be many more if only the national investment climate would improve. Courtney Fingar reports.

Asian companies are pursuing more aggressive global expansion strategies and their FDI projects are in demand. Lawrence Yeo offers IPAs a few pointers for closing the deal with Asia’s hard-to-please investors.

With its highly skilled labour force and extremely attractive incentives for foreign investors, Thailand is ideal for setting up a technological manufacturing base.

High culture, high salaries and the breath-taking Alpine scenery are just a few of the benefits multinational companies are lauding in order to attract key personnel to Switzerland. Karen E Thuermer reports.

Ukrainian truck maker KrAZ is experiencing a rebound after the company almost collapsed along with the USSR. Initially used for military and heavy industry, the rugged vehicle is now sold worldwide to a niche market, thanks to the company’s willingness to change its structuring to attract foreign investment. Report by Jim Hydzik.

As European FDI flows shift steadily eastwards, central and eastern European countries are moving up the value chain – and they are no longer afraid to go head-to-head with western Europe for high-tech, biotech and R&D projects.Blanca Riemer reports.

Research and development, once kept close to home, is now going global as transnational corporations recognise that some developing countries offer attractive conditions for this function, writes Torbjörn Fredriksson.

Despite massive obstacles, foreign investors are looking tentatively toward Haiti. Michael Deibert reports on what they will find once they get there.

Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic must now decide whether to follow the lead set by the US in August by signing up to the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement.Erika Morphy reports.

The Turkish private sector is waking up to the notion that raising standards of corporate governance may pay dividends in the long run.fDi reports.

End of the Line: The Rise and Coming Fall of the Global Corporation, a new book by Barry C Lynn, is causing a stir in the US with its controversial thesis about the vulnerabilities of today’s global production system. Here, fDi provides an exclusive excerpt.

DTZ’s eighth annual Global Office Occupancy Costs Survey found that office markets are generally performing better amid a more positive global economic climate. According to the survey, which covers 113 business districts in 44 countries, general office-market conditions have improved significantly with diminishing availability and strengthening demand.

Investments by Microsoft, Oracle, Syntel, SAP and Cybernet Software Systems placed India as the top location by number of projects for IT and software, according to data provided by OCO Consulting.

Could Algeria soon break into the list of top destinations for FDI projects in the telecom equipment sector?

Economic growth, macroeconomic stability and huge market potential are attractions for investors. Combine these with a tough programme of reform and Nigeria has a recipe for pulling in FDI. James Eedes reports.

The Nigerian government is attempting to attract investors with generous incentives and targeting the industries that are holding back economic development the most, reports James Eedes.

Influential industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote talks to James Eedes about government policy, reforms and the investment environment in Nigeria.

Legal procedures against high-level public officials are one of the encouraging signs that the government is acting on its promises to curb corruption. James Eedes reports on the progress.

BPE director general Irene Chigbue has her work cut out for her in pulling the country’s privatisation process back on track. Can she deliver on the huge commitments she has made? James Eedes reports.

With power cuts still dogging businesses, the government is finally getting serious about reforming the energy sector. James Eedes reports.

The government wants to build up Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity but it must contend with a legacy of misguided, restrictive policies. James Eedes reports.

It has not always been easy but Nestlé has been doing business successfully in Nigeria for more than 40 years, reports Wendy Atkins.

Guinness Nigeria’s commercial director, Ron Plumridge, tells Wendy Atkins how the company has coped with an often unstable environment.

Frigoglass is following a strategy of investment and diversification to build up its business in Nigeria’s sizeable market, which now makes up a significant percentage of its worldwide revenues. Wendy Atkins reports.

Free trade zones are back on the agenda for Nigeria’s government and investors will need little persuasion to set up in a more stable and cost-efficient environment. James Eedes reports.

Convinced of improving economic prospects, Standard Chartered readily met Nigeria’s new minimum capital requirement. Wendy Atkins reports.

Lagos will have its own 21st century shopping experience when The Palms mall opens its doors. James Eedes reports on the mammoth effort involved in the retail venture, from enticing investors to getting the goods into the stores.

Nigeria is trying to reverse a 40-year trend that has run down its agricultural base. Crop initiatives and economic incentives are among

its tools for stimulating the sector.

Nigeria is focusing on exploiting its oil and gas reserves in partnership with foreign investors. Most of the activity is in the Niger Delta but exploration is shifting to other areas with big potential. Erika Morphy reports.

Oil and gas may lure investing firms into Nigeria but they need to be prepared for the pressures of this operating environment. Wendy Atkins looks at how Shell has tackled local disruption, crime and corruption.