How can Parliamentarians contribute to a Positive Investment Climate? by Rainer Geiger Senior Regional Advisor, OECD 3rd Global Conference of Parliamentarians against Corruption Kuwait, November 2008 The presentation reflects the personal views of the author

2 Summary  The role of investment as a factor of growth and development globally and within the MENA region  The Policy Framework for Investment and the MENA-OECD Investment Program  The Role of Integrity and Responsible Business Conduct  Strengthening the Role of Parliaments in Investment Policy Reforms and Private Sector Development

Recent trends and challenges in the MENA region  Increase in FDI and intraI-regional investment  Progress in the modernisation of legislation  Employment and economic diversification as key challenges  Boosting productive investment as a response to the financial crisis 3

An integrated policy approach to investment and private sector development  Ten key policy areas for enhancing the business climate  Multilateral and regional frameworks for investment  The MENA-OECD Investment Program 4

The role of transparency and responsible business conduct  The interaction between public and corporate governance  Responsible Business Conduct as a factor of competitiveness  The Anti-corruption and Transparency Network (ACTNET) for the MENA region 5

A Business Climate Development Strategy for the MENA region  A key ingredient of the MENA-OECD Investment Program  Jointly developed by the OECD, the World Bank and partner countries  A tool for evaluation, priority setting, action and advice for implementation  A means for communication 6

The value of indicators  to perform a gap analysis  to evaluate the quality of reform programs  to serve as a tool for assessment and comparison  to form part of strategy design and action 7

Performance indicators for Anti-corruption and responsible business conduct  to measure Government and company performance  to highlight Government responsabilities in the areas of awareness raising, prevention and remedies  to develop yardsticks for company performance in transparency, accountability and risk management 8

The role of Parliaments in fostering Economic Development  Strategic debate  Legislation  Monitoring enforcement  Controls and investigations 9

Conditions for credibility and efficiency  Integrity and prevention of conflicts of interests  Restricting the cumulation of mandates  Adequate financial and human resources for Parliaments  Effective rules and procedures for parliamentary debates 10

Effective organisation of the legislative process  Forward planning  Regulatory impact analysis  Public hearings  Codes of conduct for lobbying activities  Procedures for commission and plenary debates 11

Providing a sound basis for parliamentary action  Adequate budgetary resources  Competent staff  Documentation and research facilities  Training programs 12

Parliamentary controls on implementation  Monitoring of enforcement action  Regular reports by implementing agencies  Budget and audit controls  Commissions of enquiry 13

International and regional co-operation  Regional workshops for parliamentarians on common issues of economic legislation and regulatory impact analysis  Twinning programmes and exchange of staff  A MENA Network of parliamentary commissions, e.g. on legislation, economy and finance?  Parliamentary initiatives against corruption and financial crime  Strengthening the action of GOPAC in the implementation of regional and international anti- corruption instruments. 14