Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows in the first half of 2021 reached an estimated $852 billion, showing stronger than expected rebound momentum, according to UNCTAD’s Investment Trends Monitor.
The increase in the first two quarters recovered more than 70% of the loss induced by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“The rapid FDI recovery and the optimistic outlook mask the growing divergence in FDI flows between developed and developing economies, as well as the lag in a broad-based recovery of the greenfield investment in productive capacity. Furthermore, uncertainties remain abundant,” said James Zhan, UNCTAD’s director of investment and enterprise.
Developed economies saw the biggest rise, with FDI reaching an estimated $424 billion in the first half of 2021 more than three times the exceptionally low level in 2020.
In Europe, although the bulk of growth was due to reversals in countries with significant conduit movements, several large economies saw sizeable increases, on average remaining only 5% below pre-pandemic quarterly levels.

UNCTAD has awarded investment promotion agencies (IPAs) from Costa Rica, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea for excellence in promoting investment in health sectors.
The winners of the United Nations Investment Promotion Awards were announced at a special ceremony during UNCTAD’s 7th World Investment Forum (WIF), held virtually from 18 to 22 October and attended by thousands of investment stakeholders from around the globe.
This year’s awards were given in recognition of the role that IPAs have played in supporting government efforts to strengthen the healthcare system in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has cost millions of lives and overwhelmed hospitals worldwide.
The agencies were recognized particularly for promoting new investment in health infrastructure; in the manufacturing of medical devices, pharmaceuticals and vaccines; in the production of personal protective equipment; in digital health; and in life science research.