The UNCTAD World Investment Forum (WIF) is the pre-eminent global platform for investment and development. The Forum devises strategies and solutions for global investment and development challenges. It facilitates multi-stakeholder collective action to stimulate investment in development. With more than 3,000 participants from around the world, including heads of state and government, ministers, government officials, finance and corporate leaders, and members of international organizations and civil society, the Forum offers a unique opportunity to influence investment-related policymaking, shape the global investment environment, and to network with global leaders in business and politics.
This year, the WIF 8th edition will take place in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 16 to 20 October. During the forum, the SSE initiative, in collaboration with its partners, will hold several sessions.
The UN SSE Global Dialogue
Held once every two years, the SSE Global Dialogue is the largest global gathering of stock exchange CEOs exclusively devoted to sustainable finance. As the SSE’s flagship event, the Global Dialogue brings together CEOs from the SSE’s 130 Partner Exchanges around the world. It is designed to bring together market leaders to analyse, promote and foster communication on stock exchanges’ sustainability initiatives. Attracting speakers and audience members from around the world, the SSE Global Dialogue has become the main global platform for convening dialogue on sustainable capital markets.
UN SSE Events at the UNCTAD World Investment Forum
Building on the Global Dialogue, the SSE organises a number of thematic high-level and technical sessions throughout the week of the Forum, including the following:
October 17
SSE Global Dialogue (CEO-level) from 10 to 1 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with UNGC, UNEP and PRI. The SSE flagship Global Dialogue is an over-30-person CEO-level Roundtable to discuss sustainability and the role of exchanges and their stakeholders.
Gender Equality in Corporate Leadership (CEO-level) from 3 to 6 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with IFC and UN Women. The event provides market leaders with an opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities to make greater contributions to achieving SDG 5 on gender equality. This session will examine the role of stock exchanges and other key market stakeholders in promoting gender equality in their markets.
Net Zero Finance: the role of exchanges (CEO-level) from 3 to 6 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with PRI and GFANZ. This is a high-level meeting of the exchange subgroup of the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance. This meeting will document progress achieved since COP26 and set the agenda for the net zero activities of exchanges around the world.
October 18
Carbon Markets from 10 to 1 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with IOSCO. This session provides an overview of the types of carbon markets and the role exchanges and securities market regulators can play in making carbon markets work for climate action.
Sustainable Finance: Academic and practitioner dialogue from 10 to 1 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with Columbia University. A dynamic, moderated roundtable of capital market practitioners and academic thought leaders seeking to bridge the latest academic thinking to the cutting-edge challenges and opportunities that market practitioners face in the area of sustainable finance and management.
Finance for Human Rights from 3 to 6 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with United Nations University and Walk Free. This session features a discussion on forced labour, human trafficking and modern slavery, in partnership with UN University Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking (FAST) initiative, industry representatives and civil society experts.
Stock Exchange action on climate disclosures from 3 to 6 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with IFC. This session will review the progress of exchanges’ market education activities, examining lessons learned, challenges and opportunities.
October 19
Arab capital markets Sustainable Finance dialogue from 10 to 1 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with the RCSF and AFCM. This session is co-organized with the Cairo-based Regional Center for Sustainable Finance (RCSF) and the Sustainability Committee of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets. The event will feature a dialogue on the specific sustainability challenges and opportunities faced by capital market participants in the Arab region.
October 20
Sustainability Reporting Standards and Regulations from 10 to 1 pm (Gulf Standard Time) in partnership with GRI. This session will explore the latest global trends in sustainability reporting policy and regulatory developments and discuss the consequences for listed companies.
Registrations details
Attendance at these in-person events is free of charge but registration is required. Registering once gives participants a pass to all the events. A list of hotels close to the conference facilities can be found here. Special hotel rates for WIF participants can be received by using the booking links in this document.
You can access entire WIF 2023 program here
SSE members and key stakeholders are warmly invited to participate in all SSE events. If you or your CEOs are planning to join us in Abu Dhabi, please feel free to reach out to the SSE team for assistance.