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Arab Automotive Sector Attracts $25 Billion in Foreign Investments Over 22 Years

 A parking lot in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
 A parking lot in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Arab Automotive Sector Attracts $25 Billion in Foreign Investments Over 22 Years

 A parking lot in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
 A parking lot in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman) announced that the automotive sector in Arab countries has attracted 184 foreign projects, with a cumulative investment exceeding $25 billion and creating over 102,000 jobs from 2003 to October 2024.
Kuwait-based Dhaman explained, in its fourth sector report for 2024 issued on Sunday, that five Arab countries; Saudi Arabia, Morocco, UAE, Algeria, and Egypt accounted for 79% of the total projects in the automotive sector.
These projects represent an investment cost of more than $22 billion, with a share of 89% of the total sectoral investment, and have created over 91,000 jobs, with a share of 89% of the total.
The report focuses on four key aspects; the development and future of vehicle sales until 2028, foreign trade in vehicles and their components for 2023, in addition to foreign projects in the automotive sector, and assessing investment and business risks related to car sales activity in 2024.
China topped the list of investors in the Arab region, implementing 27 projects between 2003 and 2024, with an investment cost of nearly $8 billion and creating about 20,000 new jobs.
The report highlighted that the top 10 companies in the sector accounted for 41% of the new projects, with a share of 67% of total capital investments, and 58% of the new jobs created.
Japan's Nissan topped the number of new projects reaching 18 projects, with a share of 10% of the total.
However, the Chinese company Human Horizon Group topped in investment value, contributing $5.6 billion with a share of 22% of the total.
Meanwhile, the French company Renault topped in job creation, generating approximately 15,000 positions, with a share of 15% of the total jobs created in the sector.
The report also ranked investment incentives and risks in 16 Arab countries based on Fitch ratings, with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries leading the list.
Vehicle sales in the Arab region (16 countries) are expected to grow by over 5%, exceeding 2.3 million units by the end of 2024, with a share of 2.4% of global vehicle sales. This figure is expected to reach 3 million units by 2028.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Algeria, Morocco, and Kuwait collectively account for approximately 75% of total regional sales.
Private Cars
Private car sales in 12 Arab countries are forecasted to exceed 1.8 million units by the end of 2024, marking a 4.5% rise compared to 2023. Saudi Arabia leads this category with a 45% share of the market. The region's sales are expected to surpass 2.2 million vehicles by 2028, according to Fitch ratings.
The report indicated an increase in the regional vehicle fleet index, reaching an average of 307 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants by the end of 2024, up by nine points.
This figure is expected to further rise to 353 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants by 2028, with Libya and many GCC countries exceeding the regional average.
Arab foreign trade in road vehicles and their components increased by 23% in 2023, reaching $126 billion.
This growth was driven by a 29% rise in exports, totaling $29 billion, (bolstered by vehicle re-export activities valued at $14 billion in the GCC separately).
Imports increased by 21%, reaching $97 billion, with 82% of the total trade concentrated in five countries: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, and Kuwait, collectively accounting for $103 billion.
Japan topped the largest exporter of vehicles and components to the Arab region, recording exports valued at $17 billion, representing 17% of the total. Iraq emerged as the largest importer from the region, accounting for $10 billion 34% of total imports.
Personnel transport vehicles topped Arab imports of vehicles and components in 2023, valued at $63 billion, exceeding 65% of total imports. Vehicle parts and accessories followed, valued at $14 billion, contributing 14% to total imports.

 

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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.

Business

Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
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Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Federation of Saudi Chambers announced the formation of the first joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council for its inaugural term (1447–1451 AH) and the election of Salman bin Hassan Al-Oqayel as its chairman.

Al-Oqayel said the council’s formation marks a pivotal milestone in economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reflecting a practical approach to enabling the business sectors in both countries to capitalize on promising investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnerships, SPA reported.

He noted that trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached approximately SAR9.5 billion by the end of November 2025, including SAR8 billion in Saudi exports and SAR1.5 billion in Kuwaiti imports.

Business

Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Harvard University economics professor Pol Antràs said Saudi Arabia represents an exceptional model in the shifting global trade landscape, differing fundamentally from traditional emerging-market frameworks. He also stressed that globalization has not ended but has instead re-formed into what he describes as fragmented integration.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, Antràs said Saudi Arabia’s Vision-driven structural reforms position the Kingdom to benefit from the ongoing phase of fragmented integration, adding that the country’s strategic focus on logistics transformation and artificial intelligence constitutes a key engine for sustainable growth that extends beyond the volatility of global crises.

Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is one of the leading contemporary theorists of international trade. His research, which reshaped understanding of global value chains, focuses on how firms organize cross-border production and how regulation and technological change influence global trade flows and corporate decision-making.

He said conventional classifications of economies often obscure important structural differences, noting that the term emerging markets groups together countries with widely divergent industrial bases. Economies that depend heavily on manufacturing exports rely critically on market access and trade integration and therefore face stronger competitive pressures from Chinese exports that are increasingly shifting toward alternative markets.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, exports extensively while facing limited direct competition from China in its primary export commodity, a situation that creates a strategic opportunity. The current environment allows the Kingdom to obtain imports from China at lower cost and access a broader range of goods that previously flowed largely toward the United States market.

Addressing how emerging economies should respond to dumping pressures and rising competition, Antràs said countries should minimize protectionist tendencies and instead position themselves as committed participants in the multilateral trading system, allowing foreign producers to access domestic markets while encouraging domestic firms to expand internationally.

He noted that although Chinese dumping presents concerns for countries with manufacturing sectors that compete directly with Chinese production, the risk is lower for Saudi Arabia because it does not maintain a large manufacturing base that overlaps directly with Chinese exports. Lower-cost imports could benefit Saudi consumers, while targeted policy tools such as credit programs, subsidies, and support for firms seeking to redesign and upgrade business models represent more effective responses than broad protectionist measures.

Globalization has not ended

Antràs said globalization continues but through more complex structures, with trade agreements increasingly negotiated through diverse arrangements rather than relying primarily on multilateral negotiations. Trade deals will continue to be concluded, but they are likely to become more complex, with uncertainty remaining a defining feature of the global trading environment.

Interest rates and artificial intelligence

According to Antràs, high global interest rates, combined with the additional risk premiums faced by emerging markets, are constraining investment, particularly in sectors that require export financing, capital expenditure, and continuous quality upgrading.

However, he noted that elevated interest rates partly reflect expectations of stronger long-term growth driven by artificial intelligence and broader technological transformation.

He also said if those growth expectations materialize, productivity gains could enable small and medium-sized enterprises to forecast demand more accurately and identify previously untapped markets, partially offsetting the negative effects of higher borrowing costs.

Employment concerns and the role of government

The Harvard professor warned that labor markets face a dual challenge stemming from intensified Chinese export competition and accelerating job automation driven by artificial intelligence, developments that could lead to significant disruptions, particularly among younger workers. He said governments must adopt proactive strategies requiring substantial fiscal resources to mitigate near-term labor-market shocks.

According to Antràs, productivity growth remains the central condition for success: if new technologies deliver the anticipated productivity gains, governments will gain the fiscal space needed to compensate affected groups and retrain the workforce, achieving a balance between addressing short-term disruptions and investing in long-term strategic gains.