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Saudi Arabia's FDI inflows at $26 bln in 2023, surpassing target

Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's greatest economy, attracted foreign direct investment inflows of 96 billion riyals ($ 25.6 billion) in 2023, beating official targets, according to federal government data based on a new estimation methodology.

The kingdom presented a new methodology in 2015 to gather and report FDI data in a quote to bolster the transparency and accuracy of the published data, which caused a. significant upward revision in overall figures for 2022.

The ministry of financial investment stated in its most current report that. real FDI inflows last year were 16% more than the targeted 83. billion riyals under the National Financial Investment Strategy (NIS), and. comparable to 2.4% of the country's small GDP.

Inflows were up 50% over 2022 figures, after omitting a. one-off Aramco pipeline offer valued at 55 billion riyals in. 2022.

Saudi Arabia remains in the middle of a massive economic overhaul. overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under the Vision. 2030 strategy to improve non-oil development, broaden the economic sector and. create tasks.

The National Investment Method is targeting FDI of $100. billion by 2030, or almost 6% of the country's GDP.

Total FDI stock stood at 897 billion riyals by the end of. 2023, accounting for 22.5% of GDP and up 13% from the previous. year.

The production, finance and insurance coverage, building and construction, and. wholesale and retail trade sectors were the leading draws for FDI. last year making up 78% of overall FDI inflows in 2023, the report. revealed.

The federal government has said it would update existing financial investment. laws in a quote to increase transparency and promote equivalent. treatment of regional and foreign financiers.

(source: Reuters)