In 2024 the Government of Sierra Leone requested UNCTAD to review the implementation of the Investment Policy Review (IPR) recommendations and provide guidance to continue improving the investment environment. This report analyses progress and suggests additional actions to support the achievement of Sierra Leone’s 2024–2030 Medium-Term National Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on UNCTAD’s Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD).

In 2021 the Government of Tajikistan requested UNCTAD to conduct an assessment of the implementation of the recommendations in the IPR. This Report evaluates the progress made to strengthen the investment environment and highlights additional actions to support the country’s objectives and foster sustainable development based on the Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development.

The Investment Policy Review (IPR) of Seychelles assesses the country’s legal regulatory and institutional framework for investment. This includes the analysis of FDI-specific regulations (investment laws sectoral investment regulations and international investment agreements) and also general regulatory and operational aspects affecting both domestic and foreign investors (such as issues related to tax policy competition trade environmental protection business operations intellectual property etc.). The IPR provides concrete policy recommendations to foster economic diversification private sector development as well as institutional development and capacity building.

The Investment Policy Review of Armenia makes concrete policy recommendations on how Armenia can improve its investment climate attract higher inflows of foreign direct investment and derive more benefits from them.

More than a decade of high economic growth has contributed to poverty reduction in Tajikistan. Following independence the country suffered significant economic losses and social costs which were compounded by the consequences of the civil war that ended in 1997. Since that time peace and political stability have been consolidated and Tajikistan has adopted a reform agenda to progressively enhance its development prospects. The reforms contributed to higher economic growth rates and positive social development. For instance since 2000 gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaged about 8 per cent contributing to significant poverty reduction and the inflation rate fell from close to 40 per cent in 2001 to 6 per cent in 2014 (World Bank 2015a).

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a transitional economy striving towards European integration. Soon after independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992 Bosnia and Herzegovina plunged into a conflict which came to an end with the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. Since then Bosnia and Herzegovina has been committed to democracy and the transition to a market economy.

The Investment Policy Review of Bangladesh prepared by UNCTAD at the request of the Government identifies the issues that should be addressed if foreign direct investment (FDI) is to play a larger role in the country's development. The IPR concentrates on the analysis of the regulatory and legal framework that should be considered to reach this objective. The IPR also analyses the contribution of FDI to improving infrastructure.

The IPR of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia analyzes FDI trends and their impact on the host economy provides a detailed evaluation of the legal and regulatory framework for investment including concrete recommendations to improve it and presents an overall strategy to attract investment that feeds into a government programme for stimulating investment covering the period 2011 to 2014.

The Investment Policy Review recommends that the Government of Mozambique widen the scope of its investment promotion efforts and further improve its regulatory framework in order foster economic activity job creation and sustainable development. It encourages the authorities to look beyond mega-projects and investments in the mining sector for sources of job creation economic diversification and poverty reduction. It warns against the potential pitfalls of relying excessively on mineral resources for development while stressing the need to maximise the positive impact of investment in extractive industries. It also suggests concrete ways through which the business environment could be further improved to foster economic activity.

Sierra Leone has important investment opportunities and growth potential in various sectors of the economy. The country continues however to bear the impact of the civil war 2002 including in terms of weak economic performance human capital shortages deficient infrastructure network and poor image. The investment policy review (IPR) takes note of the open and favourable FDI regulatory regime and of the guarantee against expropriation. It stresses though that the government policy should target the negotiations of a more comprehensive bilateral investment treaty and double taxation treaty network to boost the country's FDI attractiveness. At the request of the Government of Sierra Leone the report outlines the elements of a strategy to stimulate investment while urging the international community to continue supporting the peace and economic reform processes in Sierra Leone.