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Investment Ministry: Development of Local Investments is Major Catalyst of Saudi Economy

Dr. Saad Alshahrani participates in a session at the Priority Summit in Miami. Asharq Al-Awsat
Dr. Saad Alshahrani participates in a session at the Priority Summit in Miami. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Investment Ministry: Development of Local Investments is Major Catalyst of Saudi Economy

Dr. Saad Alshahrani participates in a session at the Priority Summit in Miami. Asharq Al-Awsat
Dr. Saad Alshahrani participates in a session at the Priority Summit in Miami. Asharq Al-Awsat

The Saudi Investment Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs and Investment Studies, Dr. Saad Alshahrani, has stressed that the development of local investments is a major driver of the Saudi economy, pointing out that the economic performance of the Gulf region and the Middle East has made it attract more foreign investments.

He cited the significant growth achieved by the Kingdom in the last three years in the volume of local and foreign investments.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency during his participation in the Priority Summit in Miami, Al-Shahrani pointed out that fixed capital formation achieved a growth of 29% in 2022.
The number of issued investment licenses in recent years, reached nearly 9,000 licenses issued during 2023 while previously, it did not exceed 400 licenses.

The investment opportunities before launching the National Investment Strategy (NIS) were approximately 200, and today there are approximately 1,600 investment opportunities in different quality industries and multiple regions in the Kingdom, through 40 initiatives and four pillars.
Al-Shahrani said that the National Investment Strategy signifies Saudi Arabia's commitment to diversifying its economy and catalyzing growth through strategic investments, adding that the comprehensive incentives program, including 30-year tax exemptions, showcases Saudi Arabia's determination to attract and support global investors in key sectors like manufacturing and technology.

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BP Nears Deals for Oil Fields, Curbs on Gas Flaring in Iraq

British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
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BP Nears Deals for Oil Fields, Curbs on Gas Flaring in Iraq

British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minster Keir Starmer (L) welcomes Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)

Iraq and British oil giant BP are set to finalize a deal by early February to develop four oil fields in Kirkuk and curb gas flaring, Iraqi authorities announced Wednesday.

The mega-project in northern Iraq will include plans to recover flared gas to boost the country's electricity production, they said.

Gas flaring refers to the polluting practice of burning off excess gas during oil drilling. It is cheaper than capturing the associated gas.

The Iraqi government and BP signed a new memorandum of understanding in London late Tuesday, as Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and other senior ministers visit Britain to seal various trade and investment deals.

"The objective is to enhance production and achieve optimal targeted rates of oil and gas output," Sudani's office said in a statement.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani told AFP after the new accord was signed that the project would increase the four oil fields' production to up to 500,000 barrels per day from about 350,000 bpd.

"The agreement commits both parties to sign a contract in the first week of February," he said.

Ghani noted the project will also target gas flaring.

Iraq has the third highest global rate of gas flaring, after Russia and Iran, having flared about 18 billion cubic meters of gas in 2023, according to the World Bank.

The Iraqi government has made eliminating the practice one of its priorities, with plans to curb 80 percent of flared gas by 2026 and to eliminate releases by 2028.

"It's not just a question of investing and increasing oil production... but also gas exploitation. We can no longer tolerate gas flaring, whatever the quantity," Ghani added.

"We need this gas, which Iraq currently imports from neighboring Iran. The government is making serious efforts to put an end to these imports."

Iraq is ultra-dependent on Iranian gas, which covers almost a third of Iraq's energy needs.

However, Teheran regularly cuts off its supply, exacerbating the power shortages that punctuate the daily lives of 45 million Iraqis.

BP is one of the biggest foreign players in Iraq's oil sector, with a history of producing oil in the country dating back to the 1920s when it was still under British mandate.

According to the World Bank, Iraq has 145 billion barrels of proven oil reserves -- among the largest in the world -- amounting to 96 years' worth of production at the current rate.