Investment entrepreneur Samer Choucair affirmed that Saudi Arabia’s participation in presenting its third Voluntary National Review at the UN’s 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development reflects a growing commitment to implementing Vision 2030’s goals, and gives sustainable financing tools, chief among them green sukuk, additional momentum among local and international investors.
Choucair explained that green sukuk are no longer merely a tool for financing projects, but have become an indicator of the maturity of the Saudi financial market and its ability to align Islamic finance principles with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, strengthening the confidence of institutional investors seeking long-term investment in the Saudi economy.
Choucair noted that the Voluntary National Review, prepared with the participation of more than 140 entities from the government, private, and non-profit sectors, reflects a participatory approach to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, pointing out that sectors linked to renewable energy, water management, infrastructure, and sustainable cities will remain among the biggest beneficiaries of the expansion in green sukuk issuance in the coming years.
Choucair added that growing global interest in sustainable finance gives the Kingdom an opportunity to strengthen its position as a regional hub for Sharia-compliant sukuk issuance, particularly amid the continued execution of major projects under Vision 2030, opening the door to attracting more capital from sovereign funds, pension funds, and international asset managers seeking to diversify their portfolios.
Choucair explained that the success of this direction depends heavily on strengthening transparency and disclosure levels regarding the use of issuance proceeds and measuring the environmental and social impact of financed projects, since global investors have become more focused on the quality of reporting and adherence to international standards, which directly affects financing costs and market confidence.
Choucair affirmed that the Saudi financial sector holds a significant opportunity to benefit from the expected growth in the green sukuk market through structuring, arrangement, and distribution services, supporting the diversification of income sources for financial institutions and strengthening the competitiveness of the local market.
Samer Choucair concluded by affirming that tracking the pace of new issuances, demand levels in secondary markets, and the development of disclosure and sustainability standards in the coming years will be key factors in cementing the Kingdom’s position as one of the leading centers for Sharia-compliant green finance, supporting the attraction of long-term investment and lowering the cost of financing strategic projects linked to Saudi Vision 2030.