A volatile political climate, which has seen the arrest and resignation of the country's president this year, and overspill from the Mexican drug wars continue to prevent Guatemala from achieving the development goals it set for itself two years ago.

The director of Chile's export promotion bureau, ProChile, tells fDi that changes to the country's education system will see an eventual improvement in the skill levels of its workforce, while the drive to assist SMEs in exporting their goods should provide a further boost to the government's efforts to spread the benefits of years of economic growth.

Mabel Causarano, Paraguay’s minister of culture, is also involved in securing investment for the rejuvenation of capital city Asuncion's historic centre. She believes this will act as a catalyst to a wider regeneration of Paraguay, as Jason Mitchell discovers.

Chile's FDI performance over the past decade has been hugely impressive. However, wary of its inadequate infrastructure and expensive energy prices, the country's government is keen to attract further foreign investment as a way of solving these problems.

The glut of free-trade agreements that Chile has with upwards of 60 countries gives its companies – particularly its SMEs – access to a potentially huge customer base, something the county's government is encouraging them to take advantage of.

As the number of foreigners studying in the US hits a new high, the investment benefits of hosting overseas students are becoming increasingly apparent to universities and local investment promotion bodies alike.