Mexico Ranks 11th Place in Global Foreign Investment: UNCTAD

Mexico climbed one position to rank 11th worldwide in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in 2024, up from 12th the previous year, according to the World Investment Report 2025 released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The improvement came amid a broadly weak global investment environment, as international capital flows recorded a real decline of 11%, reflecting heightened investor caution.

UNCTAD reported that Mexico attracted US$37 billion in FDI in 2024, allowing it to advance within the list of the world’s top 20 investment destinations. The country’s rise contrasted with several other developing economies that, while remaining in the top 20, saw declines in investment inflows, creating space for Mexico’s relative advance in the ranking.

The report identified manufacturing and logistics as the main drivers of investment into Mexico, against a backdrop of global supply chain reconfiguration and nearshoring trends.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, where overall FDI fell 12%, Mexico partially broke with the regional trend. It was among the countries supporting investment growth in Central America, which posted a 4% increase in inflows, according to UNCTAD. This performance helped offset a contraction in investment through mergers and acquisitions, which was affected by the absence of large-scale transactions, and reinforced Mexico’s profile as a destination for long-term productive investment.

Digital Economy Strengthens Mexico’s Position

Mexico’s rise in the global ranking was also supported by its role in the digital economy. UNCTAD noted that Mexico ranks among the leading destinations for digital investment in Latin America, alongside Brazil.

The report highlighted that only Mexico and the United States registered FDI inflows in data processing, hosting, and related activities in the region. Between 2020 and 2024, Mexico remained among the emerging economies that concentrated the largest share of digital greenfield projects, strengthening its position as a regional platform for technology infrastructure and digital services.

Mexico’s move from 12th to 11th place reflects a relative improvement in competitiveness compared with other investment destinations, despite persistent global economic and financial uncertainty.

UNCTAD emphasized that capital flows continue to favor economies with industrial scale, logistics connectivity, and proximity to end markets, factors that continue to benefit Mexico. If these conditions persist, the country could maintain or further improve its standing in the global FDI ranking in the coming years as it continues to capitalize on supply chain transformation and the expansion of the digital economy.

Sheinbaum Sets Up Council to Boost Investment 

MBN reported that President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced the creation of an investment promotion council linked to Plan México. She made the announcement during a private meeting at the National Palace attended by businessman Carlos Slim, FEMSA CEO José Antonio Fernández, Chairman of the Board of Grupo Financiero Banorte Carlos Hank González, and Francisco Cervantes, President, Business Coordinating Council (CCE). Also present was Altagracia Gómez, who heads the Presidential Advisory Council for Regional Economic Development.

“Today at the National Palace, we met with business leaders and agreed to hold regular sessions through an investment promotion council aligned with Plan México,” Sheinbaum wrote on social media.

Gómez noted that business groups meet regularly to review investment projects, explore ways to accelerate them, and assess opportunities in mixed investment, infrastructure, energy, and services. She explained that the new mechanism aims to broaden participation, bring more business representatives into the discussion, and incorporate additional perspectives to improve communication with companies across the country. 

Gómez also indicated that President Sheinbaum plans to expand the group further and will provide additional details soon. These sessions, she said, help strengthen collaboration among Mexican business leaders to drive investment.

The Mexican government expects to attract up to US$45 billion in investment by the end of 2025, largely driven by Plan México, introduced by Sheinbaum in early April. The plan is the administration’s main strategy to align private investment with social development and sustainability goals.