Magister Legum - LLM / Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) began as a worldwide phenomenon in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Even then, it formed only a small portion of foreign investments for decades, as a greater percentage took the form of portfolio investments. This was the case for example in 1914, when 90% of all foreign investment flows took the form of portfolio investment. Over time, however, there was a steady shift in the composition of foreign investments. In fact, about a quarter of foreign investment flows took the form of FDI in the 1920s. The drop in portfolio investments came about as a result of the collapse of the world monetary system in the 1930s, provoked by World War 1 and the Great Depression. There was, however, a general drop in the two types of investment during the interwar years. Unlike portfolio investment, FDI proved amazingly resilient and gradually recovered in the late 1930s. FDI again improved with the end of the Second World War, and became even more prominent after the 1960s in developing countries. This was not the case, however, which was yet to have its share of FDI flow. The main focus of this study is to investigate why Cameroon lags behind other developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in terms of attracting FDI in spite of its membership of, and participation in, bilateral, regional and multilateral trade and investment treaties, and its attractive investment policies. The above argument applies explicitly to FDI because Regional Integration Agreements (RIAs) are said to boost FDI inflows from non-member countries. It is universally acknowledged that a well-designed policy framework for investment, capable of attracting FDI, would be productive and successful. Thus, for Cameroon to be competitive in attracting FDI, it is obliged to review its investment policies which continue to face the challenges of a changing global economy.

Magister Commercii - MCom / This study examines the influence of trade openness on foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in emerging market economies. The study focuses on a sample of 15 emerging market economies during 1992-2006. The econometric framework utilised in the study consist of panel data analysis, although the pooled OLS model is first estimated in order to give the reader a sense of what to expect in the main results. Using alternative estimation techniques, the study shows that, indeed, trade openness carries with it the potential of harnessing more FDI into emerging market economies but this need to be complemented by appropriate macroeconomic and sectoral policies. Notably, as the results of the study suggest, foreign investors generally consider the host country's market size, its labour market practices with respect to the real wage, and the current and expected rates of inflation, in order to invest in the country. The results from the study suggests that, given identical trade openness strategies, emerging market economies that have larger market sizes are likely to be more successful in attracting FDI than those with smaller market sizes. The evidence also suggests that, given identical trade openness strategies, emerging market economies that have lower real wages and lower price inflation are likely to be more successful in attracting FDI than those with high real wages and high or variable price inflation. Finally, the findings of this study do not provide strong evidence in support of the fact that infrastructural development, property rights and external debt matter in attracting FDI into emerging markets. The policy implications of this study for South Africa, which is currently contesting for FDI with the fast growing and relatively larger economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China (otherwise referred to as, BRICs), is that urgent attention needs to be given to the rising prices and wages provoked by increasingly strong unions, and weak anti-trust regulations in the country, in spite of a fairly successful inflation targeting framework adopted a decade ago.

The main ambit of this research is to seek to find a link between bilateral investment treaties and foreign direct investment. This offers a contribution on the ongoing debate on the effect of bilateral investment treaties on foreign direct investment. In order to analyze this debatable role of bilateral investment treaties on foreign direct investment a case study of the recently signed Bilateral Investment and Promotion and Protection Act between Zimbabwe and South Africa (BIPPA) is carried out with a special focus on Zimbabwe. The argument is BIPPA contains many rights which investors can use against the host. These clear outlined rules increase investor confident which will result in flows of investments to the host nation. The rules have a disciplinary effect upon the host. This is further qualified by the notion that BIPPA will have more effect on the Zimbabwean side were the government have to convince investors that their property will be protected. Domestic policies will be highlighted as being in conflict with investors rights. BIPPA can thus be used as shield to these domestic policies thereby encouraging foreign direct investment. These treaties however have their own cost effects which will be categorized as reputational, sovereignty and arbitration. Other issues such as the effect of bilateral investment treaties on development will also be deliberated on. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

No abstract available. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

No abstract available. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

The most important aim of the thesis is to find out how strong was the impact of the German economic development on the Czech economy from 1993 to 2005, through what kind of linkages could have been such an impact effective, and what are the future prospects in this field.

India has become one of the most important countries in a globalized world and foreign direct investments (FDI) are part of it. FDI have been supported by the Indian government since 1991. This paper aims to describe and analyze inflows of FDI into Indian economy. FDI will be analyzed from many angles after the first part which deals with the basic features of India. Third part deals with Indian policy towards FDI and the last one with some of the possible future oportunities to increase FDI inflows into India.

Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / gm2015 / Centre for Human Rights / LLM / Unrestricted

The recent investment policy shift, by the South African government, including, termination of bilateral investment treaties with some developed countries, is illustrative of the continued discontent by most developing countries with the status quo in the realm of international investments agreements (IIAs) regime. Balancing governments' sovereign right to implement domestic policies, in order to achieve socio-economic goals, for overall sustainable development, and the corresponding duty to protect foreign investments within the host state seems perpetually elusive, within the current bilateral investment treaty (BIT) regime. The parallel rising of free trade agreements (FTAs) incorporating investment chapters to BITs and the withdrawal from international investment arbitration by some countries, is symptomatic of continued disgruntlement with the current investment regime. South Africa is amongst the front runners of this discontentment and has voiced its concerns with the system, by cancelling some of its BITs and substituting same with adopting a new domestic investment regime instead, the investment Act of 2015. This study analyses the government's policy shift, with a view to find the extent to which the current BIT regime constrained the government's policy space towards economic transformation. This is achieved by analysing the substance and objective of the policy reform as against the international standards. Consequently, after probing the global investment regime and more in particularly the country's economic and political architecture, the study found that although South Africa's investment policy shift was labelled 'drastic and regressive' by critics, the latter is rational when subjected to substantive approach to the rule of law. Author however, concludes that it is the implementation thereof that is disproportional, as the same objectives underpinning the policy reform can be achieved through a less contentious approach. Finally author suggests a renegotiation of a model BIT as a less onerous and proportionate tool, to achieve the balance sought, and recommends policy options for enhancing international investment regime to address the challenges identified. / tm2017 / Centre for Human Rights / LLM / Unrestricted

A China está se transformando em uma das principais origens mundiais de Investimentos Externos Diretos (IEDs). No Brasil, os Investimentos Externos Diretos Chineses (IEDCs) têm aumentado desde os primeiros anos deste século, registrando grande elevação principalmente a partir de 2010. Os IEDCs no Brasil são investimentos realizados notadamente por Empresas de Propriedade Estatal (EPEs), principalmente Propriedade Estatal Central (EPECs), cujas principais modalidades de entrada são greenfield e fusões e aquisições. Estes investimentos são determinados pela busca de mercados e recursos naturais e estão concentrados na região Sudeste do país. Esse ganho de relevância do Brasil enquanto destino dos IEDCs motivou a presente pesquisa a responder a seguinte questão: Como o Brasil tem se posicionado, nesse início de século, frente aos Investimentos Externos Diretos Chineses para o país? Tem-se como resultado preliminar que o Brasil pode elevar a entrada desses investimentos e possivelmente os seus transbordamentos tecnológicos, compatibilizando seus interesses econômicos e geopolíticos com os chineses. Porém, parece necessário ao Brasil resolver os aspectos conjunturais e estruturais do crescimento do país que entravam as entradas dos investimentos chineses e de outras nações. / China has become one of the main worldwide sources of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In Brazil, Chinese Foreign Direct Investments (CFDI) have increased since the beginning of this century, presenting a higher rate of growth starting in the 2010s. CFDIs in Brazil are investments performed by State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), especially Central State-Owned Enterprises (CSOEs), whose main entry strategy are greenfield, and mergers & acquisitions. Those investments are guided by the search for markets and natural resources and are concentrated in the Brazilian Southeast. This increased relevance of Brazil as CFDIs destination motivated this research to find answers to the following question: How has Brazil stood, in this century, in terms of Chinese Foreign Direct Investments flowing into the country? Preliminary results show that Brazil can increase the entry these investments and possibly their technological spillovers, harmonizing economic and geopolitical interests with the Chinese. However, it seems necessary to Brazil to solve the cyclical and structural aspects of its growth which discourages the entries of Chinese investments and from other Nations.