Statement by the Director-General, Ms Jan Beagle
New York, 15 July 2025
Excellencies,
As the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively focused on advancing the rule of law, the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) works with countries to build legal frameworks that attract responsible private investment that is crucial for economic growth, job creation and sustainable development.
Foreign Direct Investment can transform economies in LDCs, LLDCs and Africa.
But without clear, fair and enforceable laws, investment may not be forthcoming – or worse, result in imbalanced agreements that undermine national interests and limit development gains.
Public-private partnerships can play an important role in addressing these challenges.
I would like to share one example. In 2019, IDLO launched an Investment Support Programme for Least Developed Countries in collaboration with UN-OHRLLS.
The Programme, which was explicitly recognized in the 2022 Doha Programme of Action, has provided assistance at no-cost to LDCs from leading international law firms, on a wide range of investment-related matters, including dispute settlement.
Importantly, the private sector is not only the provider, but also the recipient of capacity development, as the Programme also supports under-resourced small and medium enterprises in LDCs.
The Programme has provided tailored support to 10 LDC Governments and eligible private sector entities.
For example, in The Gambia, we helped resolve an offshore oil dispute that would have potentially cost the nation 200ドル-300 million.
In Malawi, we developed a joint venture model to improve agricultural partnerships.
In Uganda, we built the capacity of over 200 private sector representatives from Ugandan Law firms and industries’ associations on the implementation of FDI transactions.
While conceived as a dedicated programme for LDCs, the model could be extended to other groups of developing countries, offering a powerful tool to build legal capacity and foster investment that is both fair and transformative.
Excellencies,
Unlocking private capital requires investing in states’ legal capacity and creating a fair and stable conducive environment for private investment.
With the right tools, countries can attract investment that safeguards national priorities, promotes sustainable development, and ensures a level playing field for all.
IDLO looks forward to expanding this impactful work in partnership with you.