The said workshop was instructed by UNCTAD’s distinguished experts in the field of International Investment Agreements “IIAs” and attended by GAFI’s team responsible for drafting and negotiating IIAs concluded by Egypt.
In her opening speech, Dr. Dahlia El Hawary- GAFI’s Deputy Executive Director stressed on GAFI’s efforts to strengthening the regulatory framework governing investment in Egypt, especially IIAs concluded by Egypt, and the necessity of building the capacities of the team responsible for that important file .
Dr. El Hawary also valued the longstanding support and efforts that UNCTAD provided to GAFI in the needed steps for reforming Egypt's IIAs’ network.
The workshop focused on many important topics pertaining to IIAs reform, mainly the different approaches in drafting the definitions of the terms “investment” and “investor” who shall enjoy the legal umbrella of IIAs protection and treatment in the manner that attain balance between the investor and host state’s interests and link investment to achieving sustainable development.
In addition, pertaining to the design of a national strategy for reforming IIAs, the workshop underscored the importance of taking into account the economic, legal and political criteria while negotiating a draft agreement beside the recommended priorities that should be focused on in the course of modernizing, amending, interpreting, terminating outdated bilateral agreements or replacing them with modern regional investment agreements.
