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28 March 2024

UAE is Arab world's top capital exporter

Published
By Staff

The UAE has pumped nearly $55.5 billion into foreign markets over a period of 32 years to emerge as the largest capital exporter in the Arab world.

The funds accounted for nearly 31 per cent of the total Arab foreign direct investment (FDI) outflow of around$175.8 billion during 1980-2011.

Figures by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) showed Saudi Arabia was the second largest Arab capital exporter during that period, with its FDI outflow totaling around $26.5 billion.

Kuwait emerged as the third largest Arab capital exporter, with around $22.5 billion while Qatar, the world’s top LNG supplier, came fourth with nearly $18.5 billion.

It was followed by Libya with around $16.8, Bahrain with nearly $7.8 billion, Lebanon with about $7.55 billion and Egypt with $6.07 billion, the figures showed.

FDI flow by Morocco stood at around $2.09 billion while it was only in $millions in most other countries, including Syria, Iraq and Sudan.

The report showed the UAE, the second largest Arab economy, was outstripped only by developed countries as it was ahead of most capital exporters in the developing nations.

The figures covered only FDI as they did not include capital channeled by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), with assets of between $300-800 billion.

As for FDI inflow, the report showed Saudi Arabia was largest recipient of such investments, with around $186.8 billion during that period.

The UAE came second with FDI inflow of about $85.4 billion, followed by Egypt with $72.6 billion, Morocco with $46.3 billion, Tunisia with $31.4 billion and Qatar with nearly $30.4 billion, according to the figures.

FDI flow stood at around $23.3 billion in Jordan, $22 billion in Sudan, $21.7 billion in Algeria, $16.3 billion in Libya, $15.9 billion in Bahrain and $15 billion in Oman.