Breaking news

Trump Secures $600 Billion Investment Commitment from Saudi Arabia, Focus on Mega Economic Deals

U.S. President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States after the oil power rolled out the red carpet for him at the start of a tour of Gulf states.

Trump punched the air as he emerged from Air Force One to be greeted by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who later signed an agreement with the president in Riyadh on energy, defence, mining, and other areas.

Saudi Arabia’s investment commitment includes what the U.S. described as the largest defence sales agreement between the allies, worth nearly $142 billion.

A NEW ERA OF COOPERATION

While energy remains a cornerstone of our relationship, the investments and business opportunities in the kingdom have expanded and multiplied many, many times over,” Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih told a U.S.-Saudi investment forum.

“As a result … when Saudis and Americans join forces, very good things happen, more often than not great things happen when those joint ventures happen,” he said before Trump’s arrival.

Trump called the Saudi crown prince a friend and said they have a good relationship, according to a pool report from the Wall Street Journal, adding that Saudi investment would help create jobs in the U.S.

Business leaders at the investment forum included Larry Fink, the CEO of asset management firm BlackRock, Stephen A. Schwartzman, CEO of asset manager Blackstone, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Musk chatted briefly with both Trump and the crown prince, who is otherwise known as MbS, during a palace reception for the U.S. president. And joining Trump for a lunch with MbS were top U.S. businessmen, including Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX chief, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

MbS has focused on diversifying the kingdom’s economy in a major reform programme dubbed Vision 2030 that includes “Giga-projects” such as NEOM, a futuristic city the size of Belgium. Oil generated 62% of Saudi government revenue last year.

The kingdom has scaled back some of its ambitions as rising costs and falling oil prices weigh.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. have maintained strong ties for decades based on an ironclad arrangement in which the kingdom delivers oil and the superpower provides security in exchange.

MbS’s ties with Trump have been smoother than with his predecessor, Joe Biden. Their relations were strained by the 2018 killing of Saudi commentator Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence believed the killing was ordered by MbS. He denied involvement.

Foreign Firms Contribute €3.5 Billion To Cyprus Economy In 2023

Recent Eurostat data reveals that Cyprus remains an outlier within the European Union, where foreign-controlled companies contribute minimally to the nation’s employment figures and economic output. While these enterprises have a substantial impact in other member states, in Cyprus they account for only 10 percent of all jobs, a figure comparable only to Italy and marginally higher than Greece’s 8 percent.

Employment Impact

The report highlights that foreign-controlled companies in Cyprus employ 32,119 individuals out of a total workforce that, across the EU, reaches 24,145,727. In contrast, countries such as Luxembourg boast a 45 percent job share in foreign-controlled firms, with Slovakia and the Czech Republic following closely at 28 percent.

Economic Output Analysis

In terms of economic contribution, these enterprises generated a total value added of €3.5 billion in Cyprus, a small fraction compared to the overall EU total of €2.39 trillion. Notably, Ireland leads with 71 percent of its value added stemming from foreign-controlled firms, followed by Luxembourg at 61 percent and Slovakia at 50 percent. On the lower end, France, Italy, Greece, and Germany exhibit values below 20 percent.

Domestic Versus Foreign Ownership

The data underscores Cyprus’s heavy reliance on domestically controlled enterprises for both employment and economic output. However, it is important to note that certain businesses might be owned by foreign nationals who have established companies under Cypriot jurisdiction. As a result, these firms are classified as domestically controlled despite having foreign ownership or management components.

Conclusion

This analysis emphasizes the unique role that foreign-controlled enterprises play within the Cypriot economy. While their overall impact is limited compared to some EU counterparts, the presence of these companies continues to contribute significantly to the island’s economic landscape.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter