Researchers contribute to training materials prepared by FDI Center and UNIDO

On invitation of the FDI Center - a leading advisory firm in the field of foreign direct investment based in Berlin - two of our researchers, Cecília Hornok and Saskia Meuchelböck, gave short video interviews on the topic of industrial zone policies. The interviews are meant to be part of an online training by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on industrial zone development and operations.

During the virtual discussion, Cecília Hornok explained the importance of industrial zones for local economies and gave a brief overview of the state of research on the economic impact of industrial zones in developing countries. Saskia Meuchelböck focused her talk on the role of SEZs on the African continent, highlighting the key factors that determine SEZ performance and discussing why it often proves difficult to replicate the success of East Asian SEZs in Africa.

We are pleased to collaborate with FDI Center and hope that UNIDO's online training will help support policymakers and practitioners in the development of industrial zones.