Kuwait intends to invest $164 billion in the region, with a focus on Saudi Arabia
In a significant move, Kuwait has announced plans to invest up to 50 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($164 billion) in major regional projects, with Saudi Arabia expected to be a top destination for these investments. This investment plan, still under government consideration, aims to establish a new investment company focused on energy, transport, infrastructure, smart cities, and manufacturing within Saudi Arabia [1][3].
The proposed investment comes as part of Kuwait's strategic move to capitalize on Saudi Arabia's economic transformation and diversification drive, as outlined in Saudi Vision 2030. The new sovereign investment entity proposed by Kuwait's Cabinet aims to enhance Gulf economic integration by financing and operating mega projects primarily in the Saudi market [3].
Saudi Arabia has been attracting significant foreign investment flows, including from Gulf states like Kuwait. The kingdom is the regional leader in startup funding, with $1.34 billion raised in the first half of 2025, supported by government initiatives and sovereign wealth fund participation [2]. Foreign investments in Saudi Arabia's capital markets have also increased, with net foreign inflows reaching approximately $58 billion in 2024 [5].
This investment plan signifies a strong future growth in cross-border investment between the two countries. The new investment company in Saudi Arabia will focus on key projects such as Neom and The Line, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 [1][3][5].
Meanwhile, in other global news, the US and Israeli officials have backed a new plan to end the war in Gaza through one agreement rather than piecemeal truces, as talks with Hamas stall [4]. Negotiations over a global treaty to curb plastic pollution are resuming, but opposition from the US and other oil-producing states has dimmed hopes for success [4].
In the energy sector, US President Donald Trump's latest tariff hikes have injected fresh uncertainty into international markets, underscoring Trump's remaking of the global economic order. Saudi Arabia's state oil giant, Aramco, is experiencing a protracted decline in quarterly profit, threatening to slow the kingdom's economic transformation [6][7].
In a different development, Dubai has introduced virtual Emiratis to promote its AI strategy, while Kuwait has revoked 108 citizenships after uncovering a decades-long fraud involving a Syrian man who forged documents and claimed dozens of individuals as his children [8][9].
Elsewhere, the European Union has seen an almost tenfold annual increase in reported measles cases, with the lowest rates of measles vaccination among ethnic minorities [10]. In the UK, the government is undergoing a behind-the-scenes lobbying blitz from US weapons tech startup Anduril, capitalising on the country's newfound focus on AI in defense [11].
In the political arena, Brazil's Supreme Court has put former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest ahead of his trial over an alleged coup plot [12]. India is under escalating economic pressure from the US, while its regional rival Pakistan hails closer ties with Washington [13].
Finally, Tesla is giving Elon Musk $29 billion in stock to keep his "energies focused" on the carmaker rather than his sprawling space, AI, and brain-science empire [14]. BP made its largest global oil and gas discovery in 25 years off the coast of Brazil, boosting the British major's efforts to increase daily oil and gas production by up to 2.5 million barrels [15].
References:
- Arab News
- Arab News
- Reuters
- Reuters
- Arab News
- Reuters
- Bloomberg
- Arab News
- Reuters
- BBC News
- The Guardian
- BBC News
- Reuters
- The Verge
- Bloomberg
- Kuwait's planned investment of up to $164 billion into major regional projects, including Saudi Arabia, will also extend to technology sectors, as the new investment company established in Saudi Arabia aims to focus on smart cities and manufacturing.
- In addition to investing in energy, transport, infrastructure, and manufacturing, the new investment company that Kuwait plans to establish in Saudi Arabia will also be involved in real-estate projects, particularly in mega projects like Neom and The Line, as outlined in Saudi Vision 2030.
