A 2011 report from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia (ESCWA) shows that the Kingdom still received the most foreign direct investment in Western Asia in 2010 at about $28 billion, followed by Egypt with $6 billion, and Qatar with $5.5 billion. Lebanon retained fourth place with a slight increase from $4.8 billion in 2009 to about $5 billion in 2010, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was fifth with $4 billion. Saudi Arabia also came first in terms of investments abroad with about $4 billion. The report, issued by the United Nations' Information Center in Beirut, in cooperation with ESCWA, showed a 15 percent reduction in direct foreign investments from the ESCWA region, from $67 billion in 2009 to $57 billion in 2010. The investments abroad from the ESCWA region decreased by 51 percent between 2009 and 2010.
