BEIRUT: Figures released by the Institute of International Finance show that foreign direct investment (FDI) in Lebanon totaled $1.1 billion in 2012, constituting a decline of 68 percent from $3.5 billion in 2011 and compared to inflows of $4.3 billion in 2010 and $4.8 billion in 2009.
The drop in FDI was the second steepest among emerging markets last year, as reported by Lebanon This Week, the economic publication of the Byblos Bank group.
FDI inflows to Lebanon accounted for 0.2 percent of total FDI in 30 emerging markets with available figures, and for 2.8 percent of aggregate flows to seven countries in the Middle East and Africa region (ME&A) last year.
This compares to a share of 0.7 percent of total FDI inflows to emerging economies and of 7.9 percent of aggregate FDI inflows to ME&A in 2011.
Lebanon was the fifth smallest recipient of FDI inflows last year among emerging markets, and the smallest recipient among countries in ME&A.