Alargeamountofforeigndirectinvestment(FDI)hasbeenpouredintoAfricainrecentdecadesandtheseinvestmentscancomewithadverseeffectsontheenvironment,humanrights,anddevelopment.Atthesametime,investmenttreaties,enteredintobyAfricanstatesandaimedatpromotingandprotectingFDI,seriouslylimitthosestates’abilitytoregulatesuchactivitiesintheinterestsofaffectedcommunities.Whilstthesetensionshavegeneratedglobaldebate,littleattentionhasbeenpaidtothelegalstatusofmanyoftheseinvestmenttreaties,andwhether-giventheirconstitutionalandcustomaryinternationallawobligationstoactinthepublicinterest-Africanstatestrulyhavethecapacitytoconcludetreatieswhichcontainstandardsofinvestmentprotectionexpresslypreventingorundulyabridgingtheexerciseoftheirregulatoryauthority.Focusingonthisquestion,TheInvestmentTreatyRegimeandPublicInterestRegulationinAfricapresentsTheImperativesTheory:alegal,normative,andprincipledframeworkforrethinkingthelegalstatus,making,andreformofinvestmenttreatiesandinvestmentdisputesettlementinAfrica,withrelevantandsignificantimplicationsfortheglobalinvestmenttreatyregime.
HUMANRIGHTS INVESTMENT REGULATION INTEREST MAKING
