The Republic of the Congo (RoC) is a country of enormous potential wealth relative to its small population of 4.5 million. The RoC's economy continues to demonstrate sustained moderate growth, hovering near 5 percent in 2015 according to the RoC's Ministry of Economy and Finance. This growth is mostly attributable to oil production as oil accounts for 70 percent of GDP and 80 percent of government revenue. The non-oil sector is primarily focused on the logging industry, but growth is also occurring in the telecommunications, banking, mining (potash, iron ore), construction, and agricultural...

In the twenty-six years since Poland discarded communism and the eleven years since it joined the European Union (EU), Poland's investment climate has improved steadily and is highly conducive to U.S. investment. Since 2007, Poland's economy has grown by almost 24 percent compared with the EU average growth at 0.6 percent. In 2014, Poland was an EU leader in consumption and investment growth. Poland outperformed other EU member states throughout the global economic crisis. Poland's strong prospects for future growth will likely continue to attract new investors seeking access not just to its...

Oman, officially known as the Sultanate of Oman is located in the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Oman is an absolute monarchy, governed since 1970 by Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Overall, Oman's investment climate is conducive to U.S. investment. Omani officials and businesspeople generally value U.S. technology, skills, and expertise in a wide range of fields, count on U.S. firms' reputation for reliable, transparent business practices, and are keen to leverage U.S. business models, corporate values, and entrepreneurial culture in order to take advantage of the United States-Oman...

Mongolia is a landlocked country located in North-East Asia. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Mongolia has trended downward since its 2011 peak of USD 4.7 billion. Overall, FDI into Mongolia fell by 85 percent from 2011 through the first quarter of 2015, with USD 644 million of FDI in 2014. Some 80 percent of FDI into Mongolia annually targets the mining sector and falling global coal and copper prices have dampened investor interest. Mongolia's elected leaders readily accept, however, that government missteps (confiscating selected mining licenses, levying a mining-specific windfall...

The Republic of Georgia (Georgia) is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. Since the Rose Revolution, Georgia has made sweeping economic reforms, moving from a near-failed state in 2003, to a relatively well-functioning market economy in 2015. Through dramatic police and institutional reforms, the government has mostly eradicated low-level corruption. According to a 2015 Georgia Messenger poll, only 2 percent of the population reported that they had to pay a bribe in the previous year to receive a government service or decision. In 2005, the government eliminated 84...

Guatemala has the largest economy in Central America, with a USD 58.7 billion gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014, and an anticipated 4.1 percent growth rate expected in 2015. Remittances, mostly from the United States, increased by 8.6 percent in 2014 and were equivalent to 9.4 percent of GDP. The United States is Guatemala's most important economic partner. The Guatemalan government (GoG) continues to enhance competitiveness, promote investment opportunities, and work on legislative reforms aimed at supporting economic growth. More than 200 U.S. and other foreign firms have active...

Guyana is a country located in South America's North Atlantic coast. During 2014, Guyana's investment climate showed no signs of recovery from the downward turn of 2013. Political gridlock and infighting hampered the country's development efforts on several fronts. The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, which would have been the largest capital project in the country's history, fell apart after a decade of planning when U.S. developer and equity partner Sithe Global withdrew from the multinational development team in August 2013. The company had concerns related to political risk following...

Lebanon is open to foreign direct investment and has many advantages that have encouraged foreign companies to set up offices in the country. These include a free-market economy, the absence of controls on the movement of capital and foreign exchange, a well-developed banking system with strong financial soundness indicators, a highly-educated labor force, good quality of life, and limited restrictions on investors. According to the most recent Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, Lebanon is one of the 50 most corrupt countries in the world, and ranks 14 out of 19 countries...

Macedonia's government welcomes and seeks out foreign investors. The Prime Minister regularly leads investment roadshows and has charged multiple Ministers and agencies with promoting Macedonia as an investment destination. Macedonia's legal framework for foreign investors is generally in line with international standards. However, investors complain that many laws are enforced unevenly or not at all, and corruption is widespread and largely goes unpunished. Bureaucracy and lack of communication and capacity within the government also frustrate investors. The judicial system is slow and many...

Malawi is open to foreign direct investment. In general there are adequate legal instruments to protect investors and such investors are accorded national treatment. Malawi's constitution prohibits deprivation of an individual's property without due compensation. There is an established mediation process to promote agreements between parties in disputes before court proceedings start. Both foreign and domestic investors have access to Malawi's legal system, which functions fairly well and is generally unbiased. All investors have the right to establish, acquire, and dispose of interests in...