According to the World Bank International Finance Corporation’s 2007 Ease of Doing Business Index, Saudi Arabia ranked 38th, keeping pace with its performance the previous year, making it the most attractive in the MENA region. Since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), Saudi Arabia has adopted a series of measures to improve the kingdom's investment climate, removing obstacles facing private investors, allowing foreign manpower recruitment and speeding up licensing procedures.

A testament of improving the investment climate was Saudi Arabia’s ability
to top the list of premiere importer of FDI in the region.