Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 2% to $1.3 trillion in 2023 amid an economic slowdown and rising geopolitical tensions, according to the the UNCTAD's  World Investment Report 2024.
But the report highlights that the decline exceeds 10% when excluding the large swings in investment flows in a few European conduit economies.

• The downturn in project finance affected sustainable development, with new funding for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) sectors dropping over 10%, particularly in agrifood and water.
• This hampers efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda and calls for urgent policy action to revamp sustainable development finance.
• The report emphasizes that business facilitation and digital government solutions can address low investment by creating a transparent and streamlined environment.
• It highlights significant growth in online services and information portals, saying such tools also support broader digital government development, benefiting developing nations in particular.