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Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Developing states' debt service tops $921bn: UN
UNITED NATIONS: Debt service payments by developing countries soared by $74 billion in 2024, ie, from $847 billion to $921, according to a new UN report, which points out that two-thirds of the low income nations are either in debt distress or at a high risk of it. The report, 'Confronting the Debt Crisis: 11 Actions to Unlock Sustainable Financing,' was launched on Friday by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. Mohammed was joined by experts Mahmoud Mohieldin and Paolo Gentiloni, along with Rebeca Grynspan, Head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Debt and climate — I 'Borrowing is critical for development,' Ms Mohammed said, but today, 'borrowing is not working for many developing countries, over two-thirds of our low income countries are either in debt distress or at a high risk of it.' The report showed a 'silent crisis' of surging debt service payments in low-income countries and charted the path out of the debt crisis threatening global development. Ms Mohammed regretted that a decade after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), development was facing serious headwinds. On her part, Grynspan warned that the crisis was accelerating. The report showed more than 3.4 billion people now live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on health or education, 100 million more than previous year. 'The nature of this crisis is mostly connected to the increase of debt servicing costs,' Gentiloni explained. 'Practically, the debt services costs doubled in the last 10 years.' Prepared by the UN Secretary-General's Expert Group on Debt, the report reinforced the commitments put forward in the 'Compromiso de Sevilla', which is the outcome document of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development – taking place in Sevilla, Spain, next week. The report outlines 11 actions that are both technically feasible and politically viable. Mohieldin explained that the recommendations fall under two key goals: providing meaningful debt relief and preventing future crises. It identified three levels of action including repurpose and replenish funds to inject liquidity into the system, with targeted support for low-income countries at the multilateral level. The other is establishing a platform for borrowers and creditors to engage directly at the international level: At the national level, the report recommended strengthening institutional capacity, improving policy coordination, managing interest rates and bolstering risk management. 'These are 11 proposals that are doable and that only need the political will of all the actors to be able to make them real,' Grynspan stressed.
Arabian Post
20-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
UAE Secures Tenth Spot in World FDI Rankings
The United Arab Emirates drew AED 167.6 billion in foreign direct investment in 2024, climbing to tenth position globally, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development's World Investment Report 2025. This 48.7 percent surge from 2023 cements the UAE as a top-tier destination for international capital, with greenfield projects playing a central role. Foreign investors backed 1,369 new greenfield ventures worth AED 53.3 billion, placing the UAE second globally in announced projects, trailing only the United States. Remarkably, nearly 37 percent of total FDI into the Middle East went to the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum described the achievement as 'an international vote of confidence in the UAE's economy', adding that AED 37 of every AED 100 invested in the region now enters the UAE. He attributed the growth to a unified national development agenda under President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, underpinned by strategic policy clarity and government cohesion. ADVERTISEMENT The UAE's cumulative FDI stock has reached AED 994.9 billion, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 10.5 percent since 2015. This growth trajectory builds on a decade-long expansion, with inflows growing from AED 31.6 billion in 2015 to AED 167.6 billion in 2024. A diverse range of sectors attracted foreign capital. Software and IT services projects led greenfield values with 11.5 percent, followed by business services, renewable energy, oil and gas, and real estate. Energy-specific inflows to renewable initiatives reached AED 4.8 billion, helping drive a national target to triple clean-energy capacity by 2030. The Ministry of Investment, established in 2023 with Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi as minister, was credited with orchestrating this outcome through regulatory reforms and global outreach. Under its stewardship, clear legislation and incentives—including full foreign-ownership rights, a standard corporate tax of 9 percent, and streamlined licensing—have enhanced the investment environment. Global rankings reflect these advances: the UAE placed fifth in the 2024 Global Talent Competitiveness Index and third in the 2024 Stanford AI Index for AI talent attraction. The nation has also forged 21 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements and 120 bilateral investment treaties, further easing entry for international investors. National strategy for the next decade envisions doubling cumulative FDI to AED 1.3 trillion by 2031, aligned with the National Investment Strategy 2031 which prioritises sustainable growth through sector diversification. Initiatives focus on attracting innovation and green investments while scaling existing operations. Despite a global slowdown in productive FDI—with global flows down 11 percent adjusted for conduit economies—the UAE has charted a positive 2.8 percent rise in greenfield projects, underscoring its resilience. Legal insight from White & Case points to ongoing sector-specific reforms that will deepen the FDI ecosystem, including possible relaxation of onshore investment restrictions and expansion of free zone offerings.
Mint
19-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Global FDI shrinks for second year in 2024, UN warns of worsening outlook for 2025
New Delhi: Global foreign direct investment (FDI) declined 11% in calendar year 2024 to $1.5 trillion, marking a second consecutive year of double-digit contraction, while international project finance deals slumped 27%, the United Nations said Thursday. Investment activity weakened sharply, particularly in major economies such as China and India. The World Investment Report 2025 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) noted that after stripping out financial flows routed through European conduit economies, global FDI actually rose 4% last year. But overall, the report offers a sober assessment of global investment trends, especially in developing Asia, which remains the world's largest recipient region. FDI inflows into developing Asia fell 3% in 2024, reflecting growing uncertainty in cross-border capital flows. China saw one of the steepest drops, with inflows plunging 29%, extending the sharp retreat from the previous year. India recorded a smaller 2% decline, though UNCTAD pointed out that an uptick in greenfield project announcements suggests that much of the new investment is yet to translate into actual flows. Southeast Asia offered a rare bright spot: the Asean bloc attracted a record $225 billion in FDI, up 10% year-on-year. Despite hopes of a rebound, UNCTAD warned that the investment outlook for 2025 has turned sharply negative, citing persistent geopolitical tensions and economic headwinds. 'The outlook for global investment in 2025 has turned negative,' the report said, citing downgrades across key indicators such as GDP growth, capital formation, exports, investor sentiment, and market stability. 'While tariffs have triggered a few supply chain realignment projects, their dominant impact has been to sharply elevate investor uncertainty,' it added, noting that deal and project activity hit record lows in early 2025. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in the report's preface, underscored the broader reversal of global integration. 'Rising trade tensions, policy uncertainty and geopolitical divisions risk making the investment environment even worse,' Guterres said. The global economy continues to face a confluence of challenges—from ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to tighter financial conditions and policy uncertainty in the US. "The global economy continues to grapple with a complex set of challenges: mounting debt, persistent underperformance in GDP growth, geopolitical tensions, and structural shifts in trade and investment flows," said Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of UNCTAD. "What is most alarming, however, is the continued deterioration of investment flows into key sectors aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals," Grynspan added. "The world can least afford to fall short of these goals." UNCTAD flagged sharp declines in investment into sectors aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Infrastructure investments dropped 35%, renewable energy fell 31%, and spending on water, sanitation and hygiene contracted 30%. Agrifood investments declined 19%. Only health and education bucked the trend, posting a 25% increase. Semiconductors and the digital economy saw the strongest investment surges—rising 140% and 107% respectively—while global value chain–intensive industries grew a modest 1%. The number of greenfield investment projects worldwide rose 3%, while cross-border mergers and acquisitions jumped 14%. In developed economies, financial transactions and corporate restructuring shaped FDI trends in 2024, reflecting supply chain shifts and international tax reforms. FDI flows to Europe declined 11% to $198 billion, and by more than half when adjusted for conduit flows that distort headline numbers. All major European economies saw sharp declines. North America stood out, with FDI rising 23%, supported by strong mergers and acquisitions activity.
India Today
16-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
High on AI India hits top league
The global AI race is hotting up, and India is now a contender. The country cracked the top 10 in private investment in AI globally, bringing up the rear with $1.4 billion (Rs 11,875 crore), a UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report announced in April. The US was top dog with $67 billion (Rs 5.7 lakh crore) in 2023, while China came in a lowly second with $7.8 billion (Rs 66,163 crore). India did much better in 'cloud infrastructure', where it was tied third with Australia (China and the US took the top two posts). But we did go one up on China in GitHub developers, taking the No. 2 spot with a 12.8 million-strong army. The Americans, with 19.7 million nerds heating up the servers, took the top spot. Apparently, we are now also a leader in 'creating GenAI projects on GitHub'. Photo: Shutterstock
Associated Press
17-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage Technologies Market Report 2025, with Profiles of Key Market Leaders including Air Liquide, Aker Carbon Capture, BASF, ExxonMobil, Fluor, Shell & TotalEnergies
The 'Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage Technologies' report has been added to offering. This report analyzes the global market for CCUS technologies and its market dynamics. The report includes a discussion of the technological, competitive and economic trends affecting the market. The Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage Technologies Market was valued at USD 3.4 Billion in 2024, and is projected to reach USD 9.6 Billion by 2029, rising at a CAGR of 23.10%. Carbon dioxide sequestration involves capturing carbon dioxide through chemical reactions (utilization) or underground storage in deep geologic storage and saline formations. This entire process, starting from capturing CO2 to its permanent storage or storage for future use, is termed carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). Industries, including manufacturing and processing, are the foundation for every nation's economic growth. Thus, they are the core of the global efforts towards clean energy transition. Industrial emissions from both process- and energy-intensive activities are often difficult to tackle. Therefore, a comprehensive carbon reduction strategy is necessary to support the transition towards carbon neutrality and a sustainable future. CCUS technologies offer a significant solution to mitigate these emissions and support the decarbonization of heavy industries. Developed countries with high industrialization growth generate the majority of GHG emissions. This has created a significant carbon debt that needs to be addressed. The rapid economic growth in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East and African (MEA) regions have led to a surge in their carbon emissions. This is primarily due to increased industrial activity, often relying on fossil fuels, growing energy demand for both industrial and residential purposes, and deforestation and unsustainable land-use practices. According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, three countries - China, the U.S., and India - account for more than 50% of carbon dioxide emissions, and 20 countries account for 80% of the global emissions. Report Scope The report briefly covers CCUS technology segments. The global CCUS technologies market has been analyzed by technology, services, industry and region. The report concludes with profiles of 15 companies operating in the global CCUS technologies market. The report includes: 67 data tables and 69 additional tables An updated overview of the global market for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies Analyses of the global market trends, with sales data for 2023, estimates for 2024, forecasts for 2025, 2027, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2029 Identification of key market dynamics, trends, opportunities and factors influencing the global CCUS technologies market and its subsegments Highlights of the market potential for CCUS technologies market on the basis of technologies, industry, service and region Description of CCUS value chain, climate policies and regulation of the industry Discussion on importance of carbon capture technologies for achieving climate objectives, and widening the portfolio of low-carbon power sources, and information on Net-Zero and Negative Emissions A discussion on ESG challenges and practices of the industry Insights into the major stakeholders and analysis of the competitive landscape based on recent developments and segmental revenues Evaluation of the companies best positioned to meet the current and future demand of carbon, capture utilization and storage technologies owing to their proprietary technologies, strategic alliances, or other advantages Company profiles of the market leading participants, including Air Liquide, Aker Carbon Capture, BASF SE, ExxonMobil Corp., and Fluor Corp. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 178 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $3.4 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $9.6 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 23.1% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Executive Summary Market Outlook Scope of Report Market Summary Chapter 2 Market Overview Porter's Five Forces Analysis Value Chain Analysis: CCUS Technologies Market Overview Full-chain Business Model Partial-chain Business Model CO2 Capture-as-a-Service Business Model SWOT Analysis: CCUS Technologies Market Climate Change Policies and Regulations Carbon Pricing Paris Agreement U.S. Europe Canada China Chapter 3 Market Dynamics Market Drivers Demand for Carbon-neutral Products Rise of CCUS Hubs Increased Focus on Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits Increasing CCUS Demand in EOR Operations Market Challenges Shutdowns Due to Costs, Technical Failures Low Utilization Rates Market Opportunities Renewed Momentum of CCUS Projects Geographic Distribution of CCUS Projects Synergies with CDR Technologies Market Restraints Public Resistance to CCUS Technologies Chapter 4 Emerging Technologies and Developments Advanced Membrane Technologies Mixed Matrix Membranes Metal-organic Frameworks Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Chapter 5 Market Segment Analysis Market Analysis by Technology Pre-combustion Technology Post-combustion Technology Oxy-fuel Combustion Technology Market Analysis by Service Market Analysis by Industry Oil and Gas Power Generation Chemicals and Petrochemicals Other Industries Market Analysis by Region North America South America Asia-Pacific (APAC) Middle East and Africa (MEA) Europe Chapter 6 Competitive Intelligence Case Studies Company Profiles Air Liquide Aker Carbon Capture BASF ExxonMobil Fluor GE Vernova Honeywell International Inc. Linde Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. SFW Shell Siemens Energy Svante Technologies Toshiba Corp. TotalEnergies For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager [email protected] E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 KEYWORD: SOURCE: Research and Markets Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/17/2025 01:39 PM/DISC: 03/17/2025 01:39 PM
