UNIDO Invest in ACP

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UNIDO Invest in ACP

EU & OACPS-funded.

Helping investors make informed decisions about investment projects in ACP region and ACP Investment Promotion Agencies better promote and facilitate investments in their countries. Invest in ACP is a user-friendly, free-to-use data portal featuring comparative tools which speed up, simplify and expand the process of generating leads and market intelligence to enable informed, intelligent decision

-making. The Invest in ACP Portal was developed by UNIDO as part of the "ACP Business-Friendly" Programme with the financial support of the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States. The Programme is implemented by the World Bank (WB), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), on the macro, meso and micro levels respectively.

22/05/2026

🌍 What does business diplomacy look like in practice today?

Over three days in , diplomats from ACP countries came together for the 5th ACP Business Diplomacy Training organized by UNIDO between 18 and 20 May to exchange experiences, challenge ideas, and explore how diplomacy can better support investment, private sector engagement, and sustainable economic development.

Beyond the presentations and discussions, one thing became especially clear from the engagement during the training sessions led by Mr. Aleksandar Medjedovic: there is a growing demand for practical, action-oriented tools that help diplomats navigate the increasingly important intersection between policy, partnerships, and investment.

Some key reflections that emerged from participants’ feedback included:

💡 Practicality drives value
Participants consistently highlighted the importance of hands-on approaches, from stakeholder mapping and engagement strategies to communication planning.

🌍 Context shapes impact
A recurring theme was the need to tailor approaches to regional and national realities, whether in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific or conflict-affected contexts. Business diplomacy is not one-size-fits-all, and relevance is essential for meaningful outcomes.

🤝 From dialogue to implementation

The training also helped participants further strengthen their approaches to:
• Attracting and facilitating foreign direct investment
• Engaging strategically with the private sector
• Strengthening collaboration with investment promotion agencies
• Developing structured business diplomacy plans

🚀 Turning insights into action
Perhaps most encouraging was the strong motivation among participants to apply these tools in their daily work and continue building partnerships that support sustainable development and investment.

🙏 Thank you to all participants for the openness, expertise, and engagement throughout these three days. These exchanges are what continue to strengthen and refine the practice of business diplomacy together.

Learn more about our Business Diplomacy Trainings here: https://txa.my.canva.site/acpbizdiplomacy

The training was organized within the ACP Business-Friendly Programme, funded by the EU and the OACPS, whose partnership we are grateful for. Also extending thanks to the UNIDO Brussels Office team for their warm welcome and support.

05/05/2026

With the support of the EU and the OACPS Secretariat, UNIDO is proud to support the EU-Angola Business Forum (5–6 May 2026), contributing to stronger investment promotion and facilitation in line with Global Gateway objectives.

In close cooperation with the Delegação da União Europeia em Angola - Delegation of the European Union in Angola and national partners, our technical assistance has focused on building an investor-ready project pipeline:
🔹 33 projects screened
🔹 27 technical evaluations completed
🔹 21 projects selected for pitching (15 on-site, 6 virtual)
🔹 USD 6.6 million in combined capital requirements
🔹 Bilateral advisory sessions and tailored feedback provided to project promoters

Through hands-on support, strategic narrative refinement, and market alignment, we are helping transform promising ideas into investor-ready opportunities, bridging technical vision with financial viability.

We look forward to continuing our collaboration to support SMEs and entrepreneurs, facilitate B2B connections, and unlock impactful investments in Angola.

04/05/2026

The objective of the EU- and OACPS-funded ACP Business-Friendly Programme to support the development of bankable investment projects is now being actively mainstreamed across UNIDO’s Technical Cooperation portfolio in Ethiopia.

This effort is supported by the use of a concrete UNIDO-owned instrument, namely the forthcoming COMFAR 4 (the latest generation of UNIDO's proprietary Computer Model for Feasibility Analysis and Reporting). In this context, a COMFAR 4 sensitization session was held on 22 April 2026 in the margins of the EU-Ethiopia Business Forum (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7452634976690315264) with colleagues from the UNIDO Regional Office and National Project Coordinators. The session provided an opportunity to reflect on how investment feasibility and financial analysis should be more systematically integrated into project design and implementation and also to consider it a pivotal instrument for the Programme for Country Partnership (P*P 2) for Ethiopia.

Participants were introduced to the evolution of the COMFAR methodology and the forthcoming COMFAR 4, UNIDO's proprietary investment appraisal application, which is being developed to respond to emerging needs related to accessibility, data management and project financial assessment. Practical questions from project teams contributed to a constructive discussion on applicability, safeguards and future capacity-building needs.

The exchange highlighted a growing alignment around the use of structured feasibility analysis to strengthen engagement with financiers and investment partners, reinforcing objectives within UNIDO’s ongoing work in Ethiopia.

The PST/SIB ACP Business-Friendly Programme team also wishes to thank its colleagues of the Regional Office in Ethiopia for providing and facilitating this valuable platform.

EU OACPS

30/04/2026

We are pleased to mark the successful completion of a five-day Advanced COMFAR (Computer Model for Feasibility Analysis and Reporting) training delivered in collaboration with the Industrial Projects Service (IPS) Ethiopia between 20–24 April 2026 within the ACP Business-Friendly Programme, funded by the European Union and the Secretariat of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

A total of 16 participants (13 men and 3 women) were awarded advanced-level certification, further strengthening national capacities in investment project appraisal and financial analysis.

Beyond the training itself, the mission contributed to broader investment promotion efforts. With support from UNIDO, IPS advanced the development and presentation of 8 investment opportunity profiles at the EU–Ethiopia Business Forum (https://community.eu-africabusinessforum.eu/event/eu-ethiopia-business-forum), engaging potential partners and stakeholders: https://investment.unido.org/ACP/projects?Country=91&Partner=162. The mission also included technical demonstrations, coordination meetings with key institutions such as the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), the Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE), and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) of Ethiopia, and continued collaboration to refine a pipeline of bankable projects.

Feedback from participants highlights both the strong relevance and practical value of the training:

✅ Overall satisfaction scores were consistently high, with average ratings above 4.6 out of 5 across training delivery, software, and organization.
✅ The content was rated as highly beneficial to participants’ professional work (4.93/5), and confidence in applying COMFAR methodologies reached 4.57/5. Notably, all respondents indicated they would recommend the training to colleagues.
✅ Participants particularly valued the hands-on exercises and real-case applications, while also emphasizing the desire for longer training duration, expanded access to software licenses, and additional practical case studies to deepen learning outcomes.
✅ Encouragingly, the likelihood of applying COMFAR in feasibility study preparation, appraisal, and economic analysis remained strong, with scores ranging from 4.29 to 4.64, confirming the training’s direct contribution to strengthening Ethiopia’s investment project pipeline.

Work is ongoing to further develop priority investment opportunities, including additional project preparation and promotion via the UNIDO Investment Platform: https://investment.unido.org/.

These efforts are part of a sustained approach to building local capacity, strengthening institutions, and translating investment potential into concrete, investor-ready opportunities in Ethiopia.

27/04/2026

ARTICLE | 🌍 "Rewiring Global Supply Chains: The Role of Investment Promotion Agencies in a Sustainable Future"

Sustainability is no longer optional in global investment and trade, it is becoming a defining requirement. In our latest article, we explore how sustainable and impact-driven investments can transform global supply chains, and the strategic role Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) can play in making this transition work for both investors and countries.

The core message is clear:
👉 By shifting from traditional FDI promotion to enabling ESG-compliant, impact-oriented investment, countries can strengthen resilience, competitiveness, and long-term development outcomes.

Key insights from the article include:
↳The rise of impact investing, which seeks measurable environmental and social outcomes alongside financial returns
↳New regulatory realities, such as EU sustainability due‑diligence requirements, are turning ESG from voluntary to mandatory
↳Why better data, tracking, and collaboration are essential for IPAs to attract responsible investors and support sustainable supply chains
↳How public-private partnerships can help align investment with national development and climate goals

As global supply chains adapt to climate risks, regulatory pressure, and investor expectations, sustainable investment is becoming a strategic opportunity, not a constraint.

📖 Read the full article to learn how investment policy and promotion can help drive a just, climate‑resilient transition: https://investment.unido.org/ACP/news?id=IACPB-v14

22/04/2026

We were pleased to present UNIDO’s role as a Development Partner at the EU-Ethiopia Business Forum 2026 in Addis Ababa.

At the Forum, we showcased how UNIDO, through the Ethiopia component of the ACP Business-Friendly Programme, is supporting investment-ready industrial projects, strengthening value chains, and unlocking the Global Gateway potential through inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

📊 Key highlights shared:
•⁠ ⁠€28.2 million in investments mobilized
•⁠ ⁠€708.6 million pledged by 71 firms
•⁠ ⁠413 investment projects promoted via the UNIDO Invest in ACP Platform
•⁠ ⁠518 FDI companies engaged, with a strong focus on food & beverage, SDG 9, and youth and gender inclusion

We also presented UNIDO’s Investment Preparation Toolkit, including digital investment profiling, feasibility analysis, investment readiness diagnostics, and targeted investor outreach, bridging the gap between projects and finance.

Real impact is already visible: from bankable agribusiness projects to expanded production and job creation across Ethiopia. Explore the 400+ projects in Ethiopia on the Invest in ACP Platform: https://investment.unido.org/ACP/projects?Country=91

Thank you to our partners, the European Union in Ethiopia and Adrián Cano Guerrero, and participating stakeholders for the strong engagement and dialogue. We look forward to deepening collaboration and turning opportunities into tangible investments.

, funded by the EU and the OACPS.

21/04/2026

We are pleased to see the Industrial Projects Service (IPS) Ethiopia taking the stage to showcase concrete results from their investment project development work at the EU-Ethiopia Business Forum .

🤝 With support from UNIDO within the ACP Business-Friendly Programme funded by the European Union and the Secretariat of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), IPS have been advancing the preparation of bankable investment opportunities, strengthening their capacity to move from project ideas to investor-ready proposals.

📝 At the Forum, 8 investment projects were presented, demonstrating the growing maturity of the pipeline. Notably, 7 of these projects are already available on the UNIDO Invest in ACP platform, providing direct visibility to potential investors and partners: https://investment.unido.org/ACP/projects?Promotion=1

These efforts are key to bridging the gap between potential and actual investment, particularly in strategic sectors that drive sustainable industrial development.

Encouraging to witness this growing pipeline of well-prepared projects and the strong engagement of institutions committed to attracting quality investment.

21/04/2026

🌍 Invest in Women 📈
International Day of Women in Industry | 21 April

On the International Day of Women in Industry ( ), established by UNIDO and observed for the first time on 21 April this year, we celebrate the women who are shaping more inclusive, competitive, and sustainable industrial ecosystems around the world.

Through the Invest in ACP portal, funded by the EU and the OACPS, 358 projects are actively promoting women’s empowerment, from women-led enterprises and access to finance, to skills development, innovation, and leadership across value chains in ACP countries.

These projects are not just about investment, they are about impact:
✅ Unlocking economic opportunities for women
✅ Strengthening local industries
✅ Driving inclusive and sustainable growth

Empowering women in industry is not optional, it’s essential for resilient economies and shared prosperity.

👉 Explore the projects and invest in impact:
🔗 https://investment.unido.org/ACP/projects?Promotion=1

14/04/2026

⚡🌱 Last week, we took part in the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF), held at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, where we presented the UNIDO Invest in ACP Platform and showcased our pipeline of investment opportunities across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, developed within the Programme, funded by the EU and the OACPS.

🤝 Throughout the forum, we engaged with partners and potential investors, and worked side by side with colleagues from UNIDO ITPO Germany, UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, and across UNIDO’s global network, fostering closer coordination and creating synergies in how we promote sustainable investment opportunities worldwide.

🔗 These exchanges further highlighted the relevance of our work on the UNIDO Invest in ACP Platform: facilitating connections between investors and a curated portfolio of transparent, well-prepared, and investment-ready projects in developing countries. Explore the projects here: https://investment.unido.org/ACP

| Annika Bachhofer, Silvia Alonso

26/03/2026

Day 2️⃣ at the 9th Sustainable Investor Summit built on the first day’s momentum:
🤝 The second and last day at hashtag brought a new wave of insightful sessions and exchanges, deepening our understanding of investor priorities and emerging trends in sustainable finance.

🎯 We also engaged in a series of promising new conversations, opening the door to potential partnerships and concrete next steps for advancing bankable projects from ACP countries within the - and -funded Programme.

🌍 Through events like these, as well as our day-to-day activities, we remain committed to bridging the information gap between investors and businesses in developing countries, as well as increasing interest in investment opportunities that have a positive societal and environmental impact.

Thanks again to Mario Weiss and ICF Institutional Capital Forum for organizing this insightful event!

—
The investment project promotion is part of the Investment Promotion workstream of the ACP Business-Friendly Programme, funded by the EU and the OACPS. Related UNIDO projects were also represented at the UNIDO booth.

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