RIYADH, 30 October 2005 — Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) reported that the number of licenses it issued to women increased by 46 percent this year compared to the year before, according to Al-Watan newspaper. However, SAGIA pointed out that the total value of these investments increased by only 7 percent to reach SR672 million compared to SR627.9 million last year. The reason for the low increase in the investments’ value compared to their number is that most of the women’s licenses are in the services sector and with a value of around SR2 million. According to SAGIA statistics, since its establishment, it has licensed 63 projects that included women investors — 21 industrial licenses and 42 services — 43 of the women were Saudi women investors.