FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF RUSSIA (BEFORE COVID-19)

Many studies show that foreign investment is one of the most important sources for smart money, and from a productivity perspective, foreign direct investment is the most beneficial. Productivity tends to grow due to innovations brought by foreign investment in both manufacturing enterprises and business structure. An additional benefit of foreign direct investment is associated with an increase in the productivity of only the companies receiving these investments, but also of other firms in the same country. As international experience shows, investment is one of the most important factors in the economic prosperity of any country. Despite the importance of foreign direct investment, the issue of attracting them in recent years in Russia has practically dropped out of the agenda as irrelevant. The drop is usually attributed to geopolitical risks, primarily sanctions. However, domestic problems that restrict foreign investment play no less important role than external restrictions. These include unjustified criminal prosecution of investors, and direct restrictions on the participation of foreign investors in an increasing number of strategic assets, and the unpredictability of domestic economic policy. This study shows that for the countries such as Russia that are abundant with natural resources, foreign direct investment highly related to the latter. Moreover, FDI in both directions is connected to natural resources of the country. Outward FDI mainly is carried out by Russian MNCs in energy sector whereas foreign investors’ interest is focused on mining and quarrying. However, natural resources are highly protected by the state.
2023. SPECIAL ISSUE 2 60-65
DOI: 10.24387/CI.2023.SPECIAL ISSUE 2.11