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RIYADH: ����ֱ�� granted 34 licenses for regional headquarters in the second quarter of the year as part of its ongoing push to position itself as the Middle East’s leading business hub.

The figure was disclosed in the Ministry of Investment’s Economic and Investment Monitor for the second quarter of 2025. 

The report said more than 125,000 services were delivered through investor outreach centers, 59,000 online services via the ministry’s website, and 34,000 in-person services through comprehensive service centers during the same period.

Nearly 600 international companies, including Northern Trust, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Deloitte, have established bases in ����ֱ�� since 2021, the Saudi Press Agency reported in March.
 
The surge is driven by the government-backed Riyadh Regional Headquarters Program, which offers a 30-year corporate tax exemption, withholding tax relief, and regulatory support, reflecting efforts to position the Kingdom as a regional business hub and attract multinational corporations to the capital, in line with Vision 2030 plans to diversify the economy beyond oil.

“MISA seeks to promote local investment and attract foreign investment. It also organizes and participates in a variety of events. In Q2 2025, MISA took part and organized seven local and international events in different fields,” the ministry said.

These included high-level forums and roundtable meetings with countries including the US, Kuwait, and Azerbaijan, as well as participation in the VivaTech conference in Paris and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia.

The platforms showcased the Kingdom’s investment opportunities and reinforced its commitment to global economic partnerships.

The ministry’s continued push to attract foreign direct investment comes as global FDI inflows declined by 4.3 percent year on year in the first quarter of the year, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Despite this, inflows to G20 countries increased by 33.5 percent, driven by key developing economies such as China and India.

The Ministry of Investment has also been instrumental in introducing new legislation to bolster investor confidence. Key regulatory developments include the establishment of the Saudi Investment Promotion Authority and updates to laws concerning civil aviation, food security, and real estate.

These legal reforms aim to create a safer and more competitive investment environment in the Kingdom.

����ֱ�� ranked third among emerging markets in the 2025 FDI Confidence Index and maintained a top global position in several international indicators related to investment climate, entrepreneurship, and digital infrastructure.

According to the ministry, such strides contribute to the Kingdom’s long-term investment targets, including attracting SR388 billion in FDI by 2030, raising the private sector’s contribution to gross domestic product to 65 percent, and achieving a 7 percent unemployment rate. 

RIYADH: Saudi utility firm ACWA Power has finalized SR12.8 billion ($3.4 billion) in non-recourse financing to build two large-scale gas-fired power plants, bolstering the Kingdom’s generation capacity as electricity demand rises. 

The facilities, which include Rumah-1 in the Riyadh region and Al-Nairiyah-1 in the Eastern Province, will each produce 1,800 megawatts, adding a combined 3.6 gigawatts to the grid. 

ACWA Power will hold a 35 percent stake in both plants, with Saudi Electricity Co. also holding 35 percent and Korea Electric Power Corp. owning the remaining 30 percent, according to a regulatory filing on Tadawul. 

The financial close, completed on Aug. 21 following an initial announcement in July, includes a 28-year debt package arranged by a consortium of lenders. 

“The lending group includes Export-Import Bank of Korea, Saudi National Bank, Saudi Investment Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation,” the statement said. 

ACWA Power’s guarantees are limited to an equity bridge loan, early generation revenues, standby equity, and a reserve account, it added.

The company’s latest financing deal comes as it expands its portfolio across conventional and renewable energy to meet ����ֱ��’s Vision 2030 targets. 

Mandated by the Public Investment Fund to deliver around 70 percent of the Kingdom’s renewable capacity, ACWA Power is a central player in the National Renewable Energy Program, which aims to generate 58.7 GW from clean sources by the end of the decade. 

The company has recently brought nearly 2.8 GW of solar projects into operation across the Al-Kahfah, Al-Rass 2, and SAAD 2 plants, while also advancing the $8.4 billion green hydrogen project in Neom, set to produce 600 tonnes of hydrogen and 1.2 million tonnes of green ammonia annually. 

In July, ACWA Power signed $8.3 billion in agreements to develop seven solar and wind projects totaling 15 GW, part of the Kingdom’s plan to source 50 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030. 

Globally, the company is pursuing expansion through acquisitions and partnerships. 

In February, it agreed to acquire French electric utility company Engie’s $693 million portfolio in Kuwait and Bahrain, while in July, it signed deals with European firms including TotalEnergies and Siemens Energy to support green energy exports to Europe. 

ACWA Power’s shares continued to rise on Tadawul, gaining 2.21 percent to reach SR 231.20 by 12:08 p.m. Saudi time on Sunday, reflecting investor confidence in the announcement’s strategic implications.