There are countries all over the world that need help. This help can come in a variety of ways, some of which originate in the private sector and some of which come from other countries’ governments. One of these different ways has been growing in popularity over the past few decades. This strategy of development and improvement is that of foreign investment. Foreign investment is a tool that can be used to set out on the journey of large infrastructure projects. It can also be used to improve the lives of those that live in the recipient country. More often than not, foreign investments are a good thing for the recipient country as investments can directly affect the socio- economic environment there. Not surprisingly, it has been posited that direct foreign investments contribute to the stronger protection of socio-economic rights. Most corporations know what they need to do and what the right thing to do is. This comes from an increase in corporate accountability over the last couple decades. There have been a number of instances where large, powerful corporations have invested into a country only to leave it worse than it was before the investment. For instance, there is the example of Chevron in Ecuador, where Chevron left the nation of Ecuador polluted after extensive resource extraction. One of the best parts of foreign investment is that the funds can help both the developed and developing country. Obviously, the money is “best spent” when it goes to developing nations that need as much help as they can get, but not every, if any, developed country is perfect. All countries need help. As has been stated before, foreign investment is a crucial piece for both the global economic and the socio- economic puzzles. One would think that foreign investment is a risky process, but it is fairly safe. The recipient country has to meet certain criteria in order to secure the investment. Even after the investment has been received, the recipient country must ensure that the investment is protected through a number of means. These measures can include that national judicial institutions uphold the rule of law and that judicial proceeding proceed fairly, independently, and impartially. Small, developing countries are no strangers to high levels of corruption in the government. If one of these countries wishes to receive help and foreign investment, they must be sure to at least put an effort in to stop this corruption. It would obviously be best if the corruption was put to a complete stop, but that can take some time. Unfortunately, some of these countries run on corruption and that is all the government has ever known. It would take more than just foreign investment to put an end to corruption. Finally, foreign investment is very important to the improvement of lives all around the world. Therefore, even if there was some sort of risk involved, it would be worth it.
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