Core Viewpoint - South Africa will no longer oppose the inclusion of the Investment Facilitation Agreement (IFD Agreement) into the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework, marking a significant shift in its stance [2]. Group 1: Agreement Details - The IFD Agreement, involving 127 member countries, aims to promote investment flows, particularly benefiting developing and least developed countries, and is set to be finalized in February 2024 after six years of negotiations [2]. - Key provisions of the IFD Agreement include simplifying administrative procedures, enhancing transparency, establishing dispute prevention mechanisms, and strengthening capacity building for developing economies [2]. - Approximately three-quarters of the participating countries in the IFD Agreement are developing or least developed countries, with around 30 from Africa [2]. Group 2: South Africa's Position - Initially, South Africa, along with India and Turkey, opposed the formal inclusion of the IFD Agreement into WTO rules, with India still firmly against it [2]. - South Africa and India believe that investment facilitation exceeds the traditional scope of the WTO, which should focus on goods and services trade rather than investment-related issues [2]. - South Africa has maintained communication with the initiators of the agreement since March 2024, indicating a willingness to engage despite previous opposition [2].