United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has launched an online database to track the volume of investments into various parts of Africa and the reasons behind the trends.

According to reports, from Tuesday, policymakers and investors will be able to monitor trends in investment flows into Africa helping them to make evidence-based planning and interventions following the launch of the online database.

UNIDO’s database will enable investors access first-hand information on countries getting high foreign investments. It will also help map out why and which sectors of every country are the most attractive.

Policy makers on the other hand will able to find out the reasons as to why some countries attract high foreign direct investors.

According to the senior financial advisor at Treasury Vincent Rague, the development will help governments target and support quality investors using evidence based policy interventions.

The World Bank’s Doing Business Report depicts Kenya as lagging behind in terms of its attractiveness to investors compared to her neighbours. The World Bank’s data also shows that Kenya has been behind Uganda, Tanzania and Ghana in net Foreign Direct Investments since 2004.

Although Kenya recorded its highest net FDI in 2007 totalling $681 million dollars, Tanzania attracted more than $800 million dollars during the same period.