Saudi Arabia receives most FDI in 2010, according to UN report

UN report: Saudi Arabia received the most FDI inflows in 2010

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The World Investment Report 2011 contains analysis of the trends in FDI and the prevailing policies. It also offers a series of recommendations and a statistical annex with data on FDI flows. 

According to the report, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) still received the most FDI inflows in 2010, which amounted to $28 billion. Egypt came second with $6 billion, and Qatar third with $5.5 billion. Lebanon, for its part, maintained the fourth place, albeit with a slight increase from $4.8 billion in 2009 to $5 billion in 2010, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was ranked fifth with $4 billion approximately.

FDI flows from the ESCWA region retracted by 51 percent between 2009 and 2010, reaching $12.5 billion. This originated from the decrease in Kuwaiti flows from $8.6 billion to 2.1 billion because of the sale of a major telecommunication company. Another reason is the sharp decrease in Qatari flows from $11.6 billion in 2009 to $1.9 billion in 2010. KSA ranked first with foreign investments totalling about $4 billion.

Over half of ESCWA countries' foreign investments are placed in developed countries, namely in chemicals, transport and hotel sectors. A big part of the remaining investments is placed in Arab countries, namely in real estate, oil and gas, and hotel sectors.