The World Investment Report, published in June 2014 by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), came as no surprise to the Middle East. Most of the countries there have not sustainably regained the pace of growth in their foreign direct investment (FDI) and failed to recover for the fifth consecutive year. This is due to political tensions all across the region and the fog they create over the investment environment, holding back investors.
One of the causes of the regression, despite the global upward trend, is the lack of economic integration among Middle Eastern countries and the persistence of trade and tariff barriers.