RIYADH: Saudi Arabia jumped to 13th place globally in attracting foreign direct investment in 2025, climbing from 17th the previous year, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
In its latest report, UNCTAD said that the Kingdom attracted FDI amounting to $33 billion in 2025, representing an increase of 51.14 percent compared to 2024.
The uptick underscores Saudi Arabia’s sustained push to draw long-term foreign capital as part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification drive, which seeks to reduce reliance on oil revenues. As part of the strategy, the country has set an ambitious target of attracting $100 billion in annual FDI by 2030.
The UAE retained its ninth spot on the list, attracting FDI amounting to $48 billion in 2025, up from $46 billion the previous year.
“The UAE and Saudi Arabia recorded strong growth in FDI, driven by energy, infrastructure and diversification strategies. Qatar also recorded a notable increase in FDI inflows, from $460 million to $3 billion, driven by investments in chemicals, energy, and information and communication services,” said UNCTAD.
It added: “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.”
Earlier this month, another report from the General Authority for Statistics revealed that Saudi Arabia reported an increase in FDI inflows in the first quarter of 2026, rising 2.4 percent year on year to SR26.6 billion ($7.1 billion).
According to UNCTAD, global FDI inflows increased by 6 percent to $1.62 trillion in 2025, following two consecutive years of decline.
Growth was uneven, with developed economies expanding 11 percent to $723 billion, while developing economies recorded growth of just 2 percent to more than $901 billion.
The US retained the top spot in attracting FDI globally, with investments totaling $277 billion, marking a moderate 2.46 percent year-on-year decline.
Singapore attracted FDI amounting to $151 billion, followed by Hong Kong at $116 billion, China at $105 billion, and Brazil at $77 billion.
