Cumulative direct investments reach 1.97 billion dinars: KDIPA Annual Report

In its tenth annual report for the fiscal year 2024–2025, the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) highlighted major achievements recorded between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, reflecting steady progress in attracting and promoting foreign direct investment in Kuwait.

Director General of KDIPA Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Al-Jaber said the Authority adopted a carefully planned, phased strategy that defined clear work paths and priorities aligned with national development plans and government programs. He noted that KDIPA leveraged economic diplomacy tools to maximize impact and achieve targeted outcomes aimed at building a prosperous and sustainable future.

Al-Jaber revealed that KDIPA recorded several qualitative milestones during its tenth year, most notably strengthening its core role in attracting direct investment through focused sectoral and geographical targeting.

This approach resulted in new direct investments amounting to KD 222.85 million, raising cumulative approved direct investments to KD 1.97 billion since the Authority began operations in January 2015. These investments include 105 entities from 34 countries across 16 key sectors, such as information and communication technology, oil and gas services, infrastructure, energy, health, insurance, aviation, agriculture and environmental services.

He explained that these investments have generated positive economic and social impacts, including job creation for nationals, training and capacity-building opportunities, technology transfer and localization, support for local components and national exports, major development projects and social responsibility initiatives.

Total spending by KDIPA-licensed investment entities in the national economy increased by 17.6 percent to KD 1.087 billion between January 2015 and the end of December 2023, in line with the Authority’s Kuwait Model for Measuring Economic Benefit.

On the international front, Al-Jaber said KDIPA expanded its global presence by assuming the position of Vice President of the Steering Committee of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), hosting and chairing its meetings in Kuwait, and organizing major events including the Direct Investment Conference 2025 in London and the Innovation Conference in Kuwait.

The Authority also organized specialized seminars on technology and urban development, intensified sector-focused promotional activities, and signed cooperation agreements with Oman and Türkiye, in addition to conducting an official visit to Beijing to activate agreements with China and participating in OECD frameworks on tax information exchange.

Regionally and locally, Al-Jaber noted that KDIPA strengthened Gulf cooperation through active participation in economic initiatives and enhanced coordination with the Ministry of Commerce and more than 15 government entities to streamline licensing procedures and investor services.

The Authority also advanced digital integration mechanisms and continued to lead efforts to improve the business environment through its chairmanship and secretariat of the Standing Committee for Improving the Business Environment and Enhancing Competitiveness.

He added that these efforts resulted in an updated national reform document containing 15 recommendations submitted to government agencies, as well as coordination with the World Bank Group to prepare Kuwait’s first enterprise survey as part of its participation in the Business Readiness Index, scheduled for launch in 2026.

Al-Jaber affirmed KDIPA’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, noting that sustainability standards were incorporated into all phases of its headquarters project and that 29 licensed entities implemented 120 initiatives covering 14 of the 17 SDGs.