Rich Country Policies and the Poor: Harnessing Foreign Direct Investment for Pro-Poor Development

Transnational corporations (TNCs) are expanding their role in the global economy. UNCTAD (2002) estimates that worldwide there are now 65,000 TNCs, with 850,000 foreign affiliates. In 2001, these affiliates had 54 million employees; they accounted for 10 percent of world GDP and one-third of world exports.