FDI inflows down by 2.85 per cent in 2012

Despite much-hyped Investment Year announcement, Nepal has attracted below $1 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2012, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNTCAD) report.

The FDI inflow in 2012 stood at 2.85 per cent lower than in 2011, it said, adding that Nepal – with $92 million FDI – stood second last in attracting FDI in 2012, just ahead of Bhutan that received $16 million but behind Afghanistan that received $94 million.

In 2011, Nepal had received $95 million, according to the World Investment Report – 2013.

Nepal is among the 18 least developed countries (LDCs) that attracted less than $100 million in FDI in 2012, it said, adding that the total FDI into LDCs has, however, increased by 20 per cent to $26 billion. “Nepal is among the countries that posted decline in FDI inflows,” according to the report.

Cambodia (with FDI up by 73 per cent) led the LDCs, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (up by 96 per cent), Liberia (up by 167 per cent), Mauritania (up by 105 per cent), Mozambique (up by 96 per cent) and Uganda (up by 93 per cent), the report added. “Nepal is also among the six landlocked countries that received FDI between $10 million and $99 million.”