Despite the progress made in terms of global and national land policy frameworks, effective changes in practices remain limited. This is particularly the case with regard to large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs), as highlighted through this assessment of the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGTs) in the framework of LSLAs in Africa.

Key results for Africa include:

This primer gives an accessible overview of key aspects surrounding International Investment Treaties and Investor-State Dispute Settlement, and the implications for promoting a rights-based approach to governance.

Investment in agriculture is widely recognized as crucial for economic growth, poverty reduction and improved food and nutrition security. Although several estimates have been made of how much investment is needed in agriculture to achieve production or food security goals, no source to date has attempted to estimate the total amount of public and private investment that is actually made in agriculture. This paper does so using the most up to date and comprehensive international datasets available.

Land is the bridge between companies’ environmental and social sustainability agendas, and it is foundational to both. To implement their commitments on climate change, net zero emissions, human rights, women’s empowerment, and farmer livelihoods, companies must focus on land in agricultural value chains: who controls it, who can access it, who has rights to it, and who enjoys the benefits derived from it (‘land inequality’).

After the fall of the Soviet Union and regaining its independence, Armenia has begun a process of systemic transformation. The level and pace of socio-economic development has been influenced by internal situation as well as by country’s geopolitical position and its relations with foreign partners. The purpose of this article is to present general characteristics of foreign direct investment that has been present in Armenia since the 1990s. The author describes several key factors shaping the volume, geographical, proprietary and sectoral structure of the FDI inflows.

This publication helps guide investment planning and financing across key urban infrastructure sectors of Azerbaijan. It aims to improve the performance of cities—with a focus on economy, equity, and environment. The National Urban Assessment for Azerbaijan is among a series prepared by ADB for selected developing countries under its Urban Operational Plan 2012–2020.

According to the Constitution adopted on 12 November 1995, Azerbaijan is a democratic, secular, unitary republic based on the rule of law. The country is governed by the president, who is directly elected for a seven-year term by popular vote. Azerbaijan’s vast oil reserves attract foreign investment into the country’s economy. Several major oil contracts have been signed since 1994.

War and Theft: The Takeover of Ukraine’s Agricultural Land, exposes the financial interests and the dynamics at play leading to further concentration of land and finance.

Most tea in Laos is produced by smallholder farmers, who benefit from highly suitable growing conditions and strong demand for sought-after varieties from the vast Chinese market. However, the sector faces many challenges to achieve its full potential. A key barrier in the northern provinces has been the tendency towards monopsony trade concessions, in which the production of a whole district can be under exclusive control of one buyer.

The establishment and development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) are a central part of the Thai government’s strategy to expand infrastructure and attract foreign investment. These areas have been designated for development pursuant to special legal and regulatory frameworks. SEZs can play a useful role in a country’s economic development strategy. However, in many instances, their establishment results in the dilution of legal protections for human rights and the environment.

Mapping out and assessing the economic performance of SEZs across the subregion, the publication highlights the threats they face from digital technologies, rising competition for foreign investment and international trade standoffs. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, it details a range of practical steps designed to increase trade, create jobs, and build economic resilience across the three countries.

The “Responsible Governance of Investments in Land” (RGIL) project in Lao PDR fosters investment quality promotion to ensure that agriculture and forestry investments in land are productive, contribute to sustainable land management and respect the rights and needs of local populations.