Honduras to Lead Investment Promotion in Central America and the Caribbean

By Bufete Mejia & Asociados

Honduras has been elected to hold the regional presidency for Central America and the Caribbean within the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) until 2027. The appointment was confirmed during WAIPA’s General Assembly, held ahead of the World Investment Conference 2025, and places the country among the regional representatives that form part of the organization’s Steering Committee.

The position will be exercised through Honduras’s Consejo Nacional de Inversiones (CNI), the government body responsible for investment promotion and facilitation. As regional representative, Honduras will act as a liaison between WAIPA and investment promotion agencies from Central America and the Caribbean, contributing to coordination efforts and regional dialogue within the organization.

What is WAIPA?

WAIPA is a global non-governmental organization that brings together national and subnational investment promotion agencies (IPAs) from more than 130 countries. Established in 1995 and supported institutionally by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), WAIPA serves as a platform for cooperation, capacity building and information exchange among agencies tasked with attracting and retaining foreign direct investment.

The association’s activities focus on strengthening the institutional performance of IPAs through training, research, policy discussion and peer learning. WAIPA also plays a convening role, organizing the annual World Investment Conference and other regional forums where agencies discuss trends in global investment, regulatory challenges, sustainability standards and evolving investor expectations.

WAIPA is governed by a Steering Committee composed of elected representatives from different regions, along with a president and vice presidents. Regional directors are responsible for reflecting the priorities and challenges of their respective regions within the organization’s decision-making processes.

The Role of Regional Directors

Regional directors within WAIPA do not act as national representatives but rather as coordinators for their regions. Their role includes facilitating communication among member agencies, identifying shared challenges, and contributing to the development of regional initiatives or technical cooperation activities.

In the case of Central America and the Caribbean, the region encompasses economies with diverse investment profiles, ranging from small island states to export-oriented manufacturing and logistics hubs. Common issues discussed within WAIPA include investment facilitation reforms, sustainability requirements, nearshoring trends, and institutional capacity building.

Honduras’s Nacional Investment Council (CNI)

The Consejo Nacional de Inversiones is Honduras’s central agency for investment promotion and facilitation. It operates as a technical body tasked with supporting both domestic and foreign investors, coordinating public-sector entities, and improving the country’s investment climate.
The CNI’s responsibilities include providing information to investors, supporting investment processes, promoting priority sectors, and participating in international investment promotion networks. As a WAIPA member, the CNI takes part in global and regional discussions on investment policy and institutional best practices.

Through its election to the WAIPA Steering Committee, the CNI will assume additional responsibilities related to regional coordination, alongside its national mandate.

Election Context

The election of WAIPA’s new leadership took place as part of the organization’s regular governance cycle, ahead of the World Investment Conference 2025. Alongside the regional directorships, WAIPA members elected a new president and vice presidents, reflecting the organization’s global membership.

The Steering Committee’s mandate covers the 2025–2027 period and will oversee WAIPA’s strategic priorities, including capacity-building programs, research initiatives and cooperation with international organizations.