عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Foreign Investments in Saudi Arabia Triple, with Over 1,200 Benefiting from Premium Residency

The 28th Global Investment Conference kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
The 28th Global Investment Conference kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
TT
TT

Foreign Investments in Saudi Arabia Triple, with Over 1,200 Benefiting from Premium Residency

The 28th Global Investment Conference kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
The 28th Global Investment Conference kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has tripled its foreign investment inflows and increased the number of investors tenfold since the launch of Vision 2030. More than 1,200 international investors have also obtained premium residency in the Kingdom.

These figures were revealed by Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih during the 28th Global Investment Conference, held in Riyadh on Monday under the patronage of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Al-Falih emphasized that premium residency is a key enabler for attracting foreign investment, as it simplifies procedures for investors and enhances their ability to seize the opportunities available in Saudi Arabia, solidifying the Kingdom’s position as a global investment hub. Residency holders, he noted, are treated as if they were in their home countries.

Since the introduction of Vision 2030, investment inflows have tripled, and the GDP has grown by 70%, reaching $1.1 trillion—half of which comes from non-oil sectors, he continued.

Al-Falih also stressed the immense opportunities in areas such as digital infrastructure and research-driven economic growth. He identified sustainability and circular carbon economy projects as key focus areas for future investment.

He acknowledged the geopolitical risks and labor shortages that pose challenges to investment. However, he projected that the Global South is poised to attract half of global financial flows by 2025.

The minister went on to say that hosting the Global Investment Conference in Riyadh provides Saudi Arabia with a platform to present its strategic vision to international partners and highlight its status as a trusted partner in sustainable economic growth.

Nivruti Rai, Managing Director and CEO of Invest India and President of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), underscored the importance of international collaboration in achieving sustainable growth and digital transformation. She lauded Vision 2030 as a model for economic and social progress, underlining the role of technology, education, and tourism in driving development.

The world has consumed nearly 2.5 trillion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, leaving only 500–700 billion metric tons for sustainable use, she noted, while underscoring the need for countries like Saudi Arabia and India to lead innovation in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and green hydrogen.

Saudi Arabia’s commitment to innovation in energy and water was also commended, with Rai describing mega projects like NEOM as a “dream come true” and a leading example of integrating technology and sustainability to improve quality of life.

During a panel discussion, Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim revealed that investment and fixed capital now constitute 25% of the GDP. He noted that Vision 2030 has unlocked vast opportunities in previously untapped sectors, including mining, tourism, culture, and entertainment, significantly contributing to the Kingdom’s non-oil growth.

Al-Ibrahim stressed the importance of adopting advanced technologies in renewable energy, green hydrogen, defense, education, and healthcare.

He stressed Saudi Arabia’s role as a central platform for accessing new markets and boosting global economic stability through continuous innovation.

Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan Al-Khatib highlighted the importance of Saudi-Egyptian cooperation and sound policy adoption to attract investments in promising sectors.

Saudi investments in Egypt would significantly contribute to fostering a favorable investment climate, he said.

Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kostas Fragogiannis discussed Greece’s focus on attracting investments in gas, including talks with Saudi Arabia and other nations, to access European markets.

The Invest in Saudi Arabia platform organized the three-day Global Investment Conference from November 25 to 27 in collaboration with WAIPA. This major event brings together global leaders, investors, and stakeholders to explore opportunities in sustainable growth and digital transformation, aiming to diversify and enhance global investment strategies.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Dar Global CEO: Saudi Arabia Emerges as One of the World’s Most Attractive Property Markets

Ziad El Chaar, Chief Executive Officer of Dar Global, attends an interview with Reuters, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
Ziad El Chaar, Chief Executive Officer of Dar Global, attends an interview with Reuters, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
TT
TT

Dar Global CEO: Saudi Arabia Emerges as One of the World’s Most Attractive Property Markets

Ziad El Chaar, Chief Executive Officer of Dar Global, attends an interview with Reuters, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
Ziad El Chaar, Chief Executive Officer of Dar Global, attends an interview with Reuters, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky

As global investors reassess their priorities, Saudi Arabia has firmly positioned itself as one of the world’s most attractive real estate markets and among the largest within the G20, according to Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global.

Annual real estate transactions in the Kingdom are approaching $100 billion, a scale that El Chaar says makes Saudi Arabia impossible to ignore over the coming decade.

“Any investor who overlooks the Saudi market in the next ten years will undoubtedly be a loser,” El Chaar told Asharq Al-Awsat, pointing to a market that consistently injects around $100 billion annually into real estate activity.

Beyond the numbers, El Chaar highlighted what he described as Saudi Arabia’s “proactive and forward-looking vision,” noting that the Kingdom has succeeded where many Western capitals have faltered.

By establishing a clear regulatory framework that distinguishes between local and foreign property ownership, Saudi Arabia has managed to protect domestic demand while simultaneously opening its doors to global capital.

This regulatory maturity, he said, prompted Dar Global to significantly expand its investment exposure in the Kingdom to SAR 38 billion (approximately $10 billion), through a series of exclusive developments branded with the Trump Organization.

El Chaar said Saudi Arabia now ranks among the largest real estate markets in the G20, driven by heavy infrastructure spending, the hosting of major international events, rapid growth in aviation and tourism, and investor-friendly policies. Together, these factors have made the Kingdom one of the most compelling real estate destinations worldwide.

He also praised Saudi Arabia’s regulatory foresight, particularly the zoning of areas for local versus foreign ownership and the introduction of minimum thresholds for foreign investment. He said these measures prevent market distortions and protect local buyers, an achievement that many Western economies have struggled to replicate.

El Chaar stressed the role of the General Real Estate Authority in organizing the sector and safeguarding investor interests, noting that while regulations may be stringent for developers, they provide long-term stability and fairness for all market participants.

Flagship Developments

Dar Global has recently launched several large-scale projects in Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Trump Organization, with a combined value of about SAR 38 billion.

El Chaar said the developments position the company as the largest non-government real estate developer in the Kingdom and reflect strong confidence in local demand, as well as the group’s ability to attract foreign investors.

The company is currently developing two projects in Riyadh and one in Jeddah. The CEO reiterated that any foreign real estate investor who fails to include Saudi Arabia in their portfolio over the next decade risks missing out on one of the world’s fastest-transforming economies.

Among Dar Global’s most prominent Riyadh projects is Saffar Valley, spanning 2.6 million square meters. The gated development will feature palaces only, surrounded by a Trump-branded golf course and a Trump Hotel, targeting an elite segment of global investors. El Chaar said the project stands out regionally for its scale, exclusivity, and prime location.

Jeddah Expansion

In Jeddah, Dar Global recently announced Trump Plaza, following the strong performance of Trump Tower Jeddah. The mixed-use project will be located on King Abdulaziz Road and will include Grade A offices, retail space, serviced apartments, and residential units overlooking a central park equivalent in size to a football field.

Timelines and Growth

Construction has already begun on the two main developments, with completion expected before 2030. Trump Tower Jeddah has entered the execution phase, with a main contractor appointed and delivery scheduled within 30 to 33 months.

El Chaar said Dar Global spent the past four and a half years building a strong institutional platform in the region, enabling its investment portfolio to grow from $7 billion last year to between $23 billion and $25 billion today. He added that the company’s move to the Premium segment of the London Stock Exchange enhances its eligibility for inclusion in major global indices.

On market capacity, El Chaar said domestic demand alone is sufficient to support Saudi real estate growth, while Dar Global’s specialized, high-end developments target a different segment and act as an additional magnet for foreign capital.

He concluded that Saudi Arabia’s cultural and regulatory transformation - from visa facilitation to tourism development and openness to foreign investment - has made the Kingdom one of the world’s most attractive destinations.

“Today, investors arrive in Saudi Arabia to a welcoming environment,” he said. “Small details, but they make a big difference in investment decisions.”

 

 

 

Business

Europeans Reeling as Trump Imposes Tariffs on 8 Countries Over Greenland Dispute

A woman uses a shovel to clear a footpath from now and ice on January 16, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. (AFP)
A woman uses a shovel to clear a footpath from now and ice on January 16, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. (AFP)
TT
TT

Europeans Reeling as Trump Imposes Tariffs on 8 Countries Over Greenland Dispute

A woman uses a shovel to clear a footpath from now and ice on January 16, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. (AFP)
A woman uses a shovel to clear a footpath from now and ice on January 16, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. (AFP)

Europeans were reeling Sunday from US President Donald Trump's announcement that eight countries will face 10% tariff for opposing American control of Greenland.

The responses to Trump's decision on Saturday ranged from saying it risked “a dangerous downward spiral” to predicting that “China and Russia must be having a field day.”

Trump's threat sets up a potentially dangerous test of US partnerships in Europe. Several European countries have sent troops to Greenland in recent days, saying they are there for Arctic security training. Trump's announcement came Saturday as thousands of Greenlanders were wrapping up a protest outside the US Consulate in the capital, Nuuk.

The Republican president appeared to indicate that he was using the tariffs as leverage to force talks with Denmark and other European countries over the status of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark that he regards as critical to US national security. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would face the tariff.

There are immediate questions about how the White House could try to implement the tariffs because the EU is a single economic zone in terms of trading, according to a European diplomat who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. It was unclear, too, how Trump could act under US law, though he could cite emergency economic powers that are currently subject to a US Supreme Court challenge.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said China and Russia will benefit from the divisions between the US and the Europe. She added in a post on social media: “If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO. Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity."

Trump's move also was panned domestically.

US Sen. Mark Kelly, a former US Navy pilot and Democrat who represents Arizona, posted that Trump’s threatened tariffs on US allies would make Americans “pay more to try to get territory we don’t need.”

“Troops from European countries are arriving in Greenland to defend the territory from us. Let that sink in,” he wrote on social media. “The damage this President is doing to our reputation and our relationships is growing, making us less safe. If something doesn’t change we will be on our own with adversaries and enemies in every direction.”

‘Risk a dangerous downward spiral’

Norway and the UK are not part of the 27-member EU, which operates as a single economic zone in terms of trading. It was not immediately clear if Trump's tariffs would impact the entire bloc. EU envoys scheduled emergency talks for Sunday evening to determine a potential response.

António Costa, president of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, pledged to continue their full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

“Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty,” they wrote in a joint statement late Saturday.

The tariff announcement even drew blowback from Trump's populist allies in Europe.

Jordan Bardella, president of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party in France and also a European Parliament lawmaker, posted that the EU should suspend last year’s tariff deal with the US, describing Trump’s threats as “commercial blackmail.”

Trump also achieved the rare feat of uniting Britain’s main political parties, including the hard-right Reform UK party, all of whom criticized the tariff threat.

“We don’t always agree with the US government and in this case we certainly don’t. These tariffs will hurt us,” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, a longtime champion and ally of Trump, wrote on social media. He stopped short of criticizing Trump's designs on Greenland.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who leads the center-left Labour Party, said the tariffs announcement was “completely wrong” and his government would “be pursuing this directly with the US administration.”

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Norway are also expected to address the crisis Sunday in Oslo during a news conference.

Business

Egypt to Launch First Nationwide Aerial Survey of Mineral Wealth in 40 Years

Sisi during his meeting with the prime minister and the minister of petroleum on Saturday. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi during his meeting with the prime minister and the minister of petroleum on Saturday. (Egyptian Presidency)
TT
TT

Egypt to Launch First Nationwide Aerial Survey of Mineral Wealth in 40 Years

Sisi during his meeting with the prime minister and the minister of petroleum on Saturday. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi during his meeting with the prime minister and the minister of petroleum on Saturday. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt is preparing to launch its first comprehensive nationwide aerial survey of mineral resources in four decades, scheduled for the first quarter of this year, the government announced on Saturday.

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi said the survey aims to update geological data and establish a modern, integrated database to attract Arab and international investment in the mining sector.

Egypt has a diverse and extensive mineral base, both in terms of type and geographic distribution. Its resources include solid minerals such as coal found above phosphate formations in the Red Sea and New Valley governorates; radioactive materials such as uranium in the Eastern Desert and Sinai; metallic ores including iron; non-metallic minerals; and precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum.

The country possesses large quantities of raw materials used in chemical industries and fertilizers, as well as construction materials including granite, marble, white sand, and limestone.

Many of these resources are available in significant volumes and are already being exploited for domestic production and export, according to official investment data.

Saturday’s announcement was made during a meeting chaired by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, which reviewed recent developments in Egypt’s mining sector, the size of its geological reserves, and investment trends.

Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said the meeting reviewed Badawi’s participation in the fifth International Mining Conference that was held in Riyadh from January 13-15.

During the conference, Egypt presented a package of legislative and regulatory reforms designed to improve the investment climate, including the adoption of globally competitive models for exploiting gold and other minerals, new incentives for international exploration companies, and simplified licensing procedures.

The meeting also addressed coordination between the ministries of petroleum, mineral resources, electricity, and renewable energy to secure Egypt’s natural gas needs, particularly during the summer.

Sisi stressed the importance of continuing to meet financial obligations to oil and gas companies operating in Egypt, saying this is essential to boosting domestic production.

He called for intensifying exploration activities, expanding incentives for investors in the oil, gas, and mining sectors, and accelerating field development in order to meet growing consumption and development needs and reinforce the country’s ambition to become a regional energy and gas trading hub.