Trade & Investment

The revenue raised from outgoing shipments of oil fund the government’s social and infrastructural programmes, and are therefore central to the Kingdom’s economy. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020 has slowed economic activity and reduced investor sentiment around the world, thus its effect on the Kingdom’s trading activity and inward investment is yet to be seen. However, the process of legislative and regulatory reform that has altered the nation’s trading and investment landscape in recent years is expected to continue to long-term benefit. The government’s goal, according to Vision 2030, is to rank within the top-20 countries on the World Bank’s ease of doing business index – a feat that will require additional revision and innovation in the decade to come.