Trade Watch V8 No 3 July 2014

INVESTMENT PROMOTION

WAIPA World Investment Conference 2014 and Investment Mission to Turkey

Investment promotion took a top place on Caribbean Export’s agenda once again when the official’s from the sub-regional office of the Agency, in partnership with CAIPA, led a delegation of members to the World Association of Investment Promotion Agency (WAIPA) World Investment Conference 2014 and Study Tour from May 13-16 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Study Tour was organised to provide another opportunity for regional IPAs to become familiar with, and to emulate the best practices of their internationally competitive counterparts, those increasing their global competitiveness. The CAIPA members benefitted from three days of submersion in the procedures and policies, which ensure optimum productivity and efficacy in their field. In addition to the educational value of the trip, the mission also presented an ideal context for IPAs to network with partnerships with other IPAs, and form a more collaborative relationship with the Turkey government. Above all, the delegates received invaluable exposure and marketing opportunities for their own brand on a global platform, and a chance to pursue investment opportunities in the Caribbean with Turkish investors. Through these interactions, the IPAs were able to gain a more comprehensive sense of Turkish context with regards to preferences, stipulations, and dynamics within the private sector. Caribbean Export was integral in the creation of opportunities for this nature of dialogue with stakeholders from the Turkish public and private sectors. Therein, the study tour was also an investment mission for the IPAs who were able to tailor their marketing to the Turkish context and to decipher the particular tastes and interests of the nation’s investors. The firms participated in a rotation of B2B meetings and, in total met with 38 Turkish companies, presenting to the private sector and other economic operators in Turkey the opportunities and challenges of doing business with the Caribbean region that are available to investors from Turkey. The CAIPA members also engaged with the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) and the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) to promote outward investments from Turkey to the Caribbean Region. (TW)

CAIPA members in attendance at the WAIPA Investment Conference and Mission to Turkey

8 Tradewatch • The Official E-Newsletter of the Caribbean Export Development Agency • Vol. 8 No. 3 July 2014