Mission Statement
The Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable International Investment seeks to be a leader on issues related to foreign direct investment (FDI) in the global economy, paying special attention to the sustainability dimension of this investment. The Center focuses on the analysis and teaching of the implications of FDI for public policy and international investment law. Its objectives are to analyze important topical policy-oriented issues related to FDI, develop and disseminate practical approaches and solutions, and provide students with a challenging learning environment.
The Executive Director of the Center is Dr. Karl P. Sauvant. Vale, the world's second largest diversified mining company, has provided a generous grant to establish the Center. The Center is a joint undertaking of Columbia Law School, which is directed by Dean David M. Schizer, and The Earth Institute at Columbia University, whose director is Dr. Jeffrey D. Sachs. The Center is linked to the Center on Global Legal Problems, which is directed by Prof. José E. Alvarez. It is a bridge between the legal focus of Columbia Law School and the sustainable development focus of The Earth Institute.
Activities include hosting conferences, symposia and a speakers series, undertaking policy-oriented research and teaching. The Center gives special attention to the nexus of international investment and sustainable development, including issues arising in connection with the international governance system for investment and, in particular, the evolution of international investment law and policy. In this context, the Center publishes Columbia FDI Perspectives, an occasional series of perspectives on topical foreign direct investment issues.
Led by The Earth Institute, the Center is also a partner in the Millennium Cities Initiative. Focusing on cities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal, this Initiative advises selected municipalities on the formulation and implementation of integrated development strategies that are based on the Millennium Development Goals. Its first-phase priority is to help increase investment (especially FDI) in these cities, thereby creating employment, stimulating domestic enterprise development, and contributing to sustainable economic growth.
The Center takes an interdisciplinary approach, dealing with FDI from policy, legal and economic perspectives. It seeks to involve experts from throughout the world in its work.
Inquiries regarding the Center's activities should be directed to Lisa Sachs at lsachs1@law.columbia.edu.