Foreign investment expert Andreas Dressler of the German arm of consultancy group KPMG last Monday led a training session for a sizable number of Foreign Office and Malta Enterprise staff members.

The training, for which staff attended voluntarily, aimed to familiarise staff with possible means of attracting foreign investment to Malta.

Mr Dressler gave an overview of the technicalities surrounding foreign direct investment and how officials and entities play an important role.

The expert maintained that various countries recognised the importance of foreign direct investment and highlighted how Ireland made huge economical strides when it started to focus its strategy better.

Mr Dressler spoke of the international crisis but emphasised that the downturn gave organisations an opportunity to analyse their situation and decide how to identify opportunities.

Delegates were presented with various aspects of particular issues, like how to relate to different companies and to individuals which have a potential in this sector, and other countries' interest and strategies to attract foreign investment. An exercise focused on the correct attitude to take when relating to business people who could potentially invest in Malta.

The event was one in a series of initiatives which have been organised in the last few months with a view to widening the strategy to attract foreign investment.

A group of 90 consuls took part in a conference last March and held hundreds of meetings with local businessmen. Malta's ambassadors were in Malta a few days ago for a three-day conference on Malta's attractiveness as a business location.