Saudi Arabia's investment news in Q1 2021

In the ninth edition of the Investment Highlights report, the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) reported that more foreign investor licenses were issued during Q1 2021 than during any previous quarter since Saudi records began in 2005, as the Kingdom's investment recovery accelerates.

The issuance of 478 new licenses breaks the previous record, set as recently as Q4 2020, and marks a 2.6% quarterly increase. The first quarter of 2021 also recorded the fourth consecutive increase in the number of new foreign investment projects since the peak of the pandemic in Q2 2020, indicating a continued rebound in FDI.

The report also details recent progress made by Saudi Arabia to ensure that investors in its health sector are supported by appropriate regulatory frameworks for sustainable growth, digitization, and increased efficiency. A growing, wealthy population and major government investment has led to growing demand for healthcare services and the Kingdom is aiming to grow the private sector's contribution to the healthcare market from 25% to 35% by 2030.

Reforms profiled include Shareek , part of a $7.2 trillion investment program designed to provide solid support for the Saudi economy via financial, monetary, and regulatory means, as well as through asset investment over the next 10 years. As well as the ''Made in Saudi'' program to strengthen the private sector's resilience and contribution to GDP, and the Private Sector Participation Law to accelerate private sector participation in infrastructure projects and the privatization of public sector assets.

Inside this report: