South Africa ranks nineteenth in a league table of "top priority host economies" for foreign direct investment (FDI), which was released on Monday as part of the latest ‘World Investment Prospects Survey 2010-2012' compiled by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad). Prior to this report, South Africa had fallen outside the top 20.

The yearly survey is based on responses to a questionnaire from 236 transnational corporations (TNCs) and 116 investment promotion agencies (IPAs).

The survey results showed that there was renewed optimism being expressed by TNCs and IPAs about prospects for FDI in 2010, pointing to a likely recovery from the recession-induced slumps of 2008 and 2009. The results also indicated that there could be further FDI growth in 2011 and 2012

It was the first time that the four major emerging markets (China, India, Brazil and Russia) all ranked among the top five investment destinations.

Reported by Engineering News