RIYADH: A total of SR40 billion in Saudi investments in Egypt and Tunisia will return to the Kingdom if political turmoil continues in these two countries, according to Fadl Abu Al-Aainain, a Saudi economist. He said the Saudi market is affected by negative factors in neighboring markets. He said any change in the nature and structure of investments in Egypt and Tunisia will have a harmful effect on Gulf investors, particularly from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. He said most of the Saudi investments are in the tourism sector in Tunisia; and in tourism, industry and agriculture in Egypt. Cashing out these investments would take a long time, he said. The size of the trade between the Kingdom and Egypt was $3.3 billion in 2010. Saudi companies invested in 2,910 projects in Egypt in 2010. Joint venture investments are worth $1.5 billion.
