Saudi Arabia, UAE lead sustainable bond issuances in MENA
Issuances from the kingdom reached $6.25 billion in H1 2025, a 25% increase year-on-year (YoY) and accounting for 66% of total green, social, sustainable, and sustainability-linked (GSSS) bond activity in the region.
The Saudi government led with a $1.58 billion issuance, while Al Rajhi Bank issued two sustainable sukuks totaling $1.7 billion. Additional issuers included Saudi Electricity Company ($1.25 billion), Alinma Bank ($500 million), and Saudi Awwal Bank with a $650 million additional tier 1 (AT1) sukuk.
Annual regional GSSS issuances fell 4.4% to $9.47 billion in the first six months of 2025 from $9.91 billion a year earlier, impacted by higher global interest rates and a pause in deals from Egypt and Qatar.
The UAE contributed the remaining 34% of the total, with $3.22 billion in GSSS issuances. Notable issuances were from National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) at $700 million and real estate developer Omniyat, which raised $500 million, according to Bloomberg.
Islamic instruments dominated the regional sustainable debt issuances, totaling $6.8 billion — a 17% YoY increase. AT1 issuance reached $3.15 billion — the highest first-half total in the past five years.
AT1 issuances help banks comply with the Basel 3 framework ahead of the initial phase implementation in 2026.
'The sustainable bond market in Saudi Arabia and the UAE continues to mature and evolve,' Venty Mulani, Data Specialist - Sustainable Fixed Income, Bloomberg, said.
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