RIYADH: According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, Saudi Arabia rose from 17th place the year before to 13th place in the world for luring foreign direct investment in 2025. According to UNCTAD’s most recent report, the Kingdom received $33 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, a 51.14 percent increase from 2024.
The increase highlights Saudi Arabia’s persistent efforts to attract long-term international investment as part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification initiative, which aims to lessen dependency on oil earnings. As part of the plan, the nation has set a lofty goal to bring in $100 billion in foreign direct investment annually by 2030.
With FDI of $48 billion in 2025, up from $46 billion the year before, the UAE maintained its ninth position on the list. Strong FDI growth was observed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, mostly due to strategy related to energy, infrastructure, and diversification. Additionally, Qatar had a significant rise in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from $460 million to $3 billion, primarily due to investments in energy, chemicals, and information and communication services, according to UNCTAD.
“The subregion (West Asia) benefits from its role as a corridor between Asia, Europe, and Africa, but rising geopolitical tensions are likely to affect the implementation of announced projects and increase downside risks for FDI, particularly in energy, transport, and logistics,” the statement continued.
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