Do Bilateral Investment Treaties Encourage FDI in the GCC Countries?

Abstract

This paper empirically examines the short and long term FDI impact of Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) countries contracting of bilateral investment treaties and distinguishes it by the income level of the contracting partner. Using panel data for the period 1984-2002 and adopting a GMM estimation methodology, the paper finds that domestic property rights protection institutions, as opposed to investment treaties, matter more for OECD investors. It also finds that while ratified BITs with upper middle income countries have a surprisingly negative, though relatively weak, impact, ratified BITs with high income non-OECD countries have a strong positive short and long term impact.