Developing and transition countries main recipients of FDI in 2010, ahead of developed countries. Internationally, foreign direct investment has not yet regained its pre-crisis levels, although several regions are doing better than others. Assuming no further economic crises, flows of FDI will be back at their pre-crisis levels within the next two years, says the secretary general of the United Nations Organisation, Ban Ki-moon, in the preface to the report on investment in the world 2011, recently published by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development). International flows of foreign direct investment increased slightly in 2010, reaching a level of $1,240 billion, but were still 15% less than their average pre-crisis levels, whereas industrial production and trade at international level are back at pre-crisis levels. UNCTAD states that global flows of FDI are expected to return to this level in 2011, rising to between $1,400 and 1,600 billion. They are then expected to rise to $1,700 billion in 2012, then $1,900 billion in 2013, approaching the record level of 2007. This positive scenario is, however, possible only in the absence of any unexpected global economic crisis. For the first time ever, the developing countries and the transition countries have together absorbed more than half of global flows of FDI, with $642 million received, compared to $602 million for the developed countries. Outgoing FDI from these countries has also achieved record levels (+21%), with the lion's share of these investments concerning other countries of the South. However, some of the poorest regions have continued to report a drop in flows. This concerns the African countries, the least-developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and small developing island states. On the other hand, flows of FDI into the developed countries have continued to fall. Flows into southern Asia are also down; at the same time, flows of FDI into the large emerging regions, such as South East Asia and Latin America, have seen considerable growth. More specifically: (1) Flows of FDI into Africa were down 9% in 2010. With $55 billion, Africa's share of global totals stood at 4.4% in 2010, compared to 5.1% in 2009, with Ghana rising as a recipient of FDI and decreased flows to Angola and Nigeria. (2) Flows to eastern Asia, the South-East and the South were up overall - by around 24% in 2010 - to a level of $300 billion. However, trends differed considerably within the three sub-regions: flows into ASEAN more than doubled, those to the countries of Eastern Asia were up 17% and flows into Southern Asia were down by a quarter. China, the largest recipient of FDI in the developing world, saw its flows increase by 11% to stand at $106 billion. India and Pakistan saw their shares fall by 31% and 14% respectively. Flows to Bangladesh sprang up by 30%. Flows into Western Asia, on the other hand, continued to be hampered by the global crisis (-12%). (3) Flows of FDI into Latin America and the Caribbean rose by 13% in 2010. The greatest increases were to be seen in South America (56%), with Brazil occupying the top spot. (4) Flows of FDI into the transition countries fell slightly in 2010. Flows into the countries of the Community of Independent States (CIS) grew by just 0.4%. In the Russian Federation, flows were up by 13%. Flows into South-Eastern Europe, on the other hand, fell sharply for the third year in a row. (5) Flows of FDI into the developed countries fell very slightly, but the situation varies between the sub-regions. In Europe, a steep drop was recorded. Flows were also down in Japan. Flows into the United States, on the other hand, were very much improved, with an increase of more than 40%. (I.L./transl.fl)