The geography of global investment is shifting. According to Kearney's Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index 2026, the United States remains the country in which international investors place the greatest trust — but the rest of the ranking reveals significant changes in how global capital is choosing its destination.
Canada has risen to second place, overtaking China, while Japan has climbed from sixth to third over the past decade. China, which held second position in 2016, has fallen to fourth in 2026 — a signal that geopolitical tensions, supply chain reorganisation, and a growing preference for markets perceived as more stable are increasingly shaping the decisions of major investors.
The ranking compares the leading foreign direct investment (FDI) destinations between 2016 and 2026, based on a survey of 507 senior executives on the markets where they expect to invest over the next three years. In 2026, the top five positions are held by the United States, Canada, Japan, China, and Germany, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia's entry into the top ten is one of the index's most notable developments. The country has been steadily reinforcing its position as an investment destination, backed by large-scale programmes in infrastructure, technology, artificial intelligence, logistics, and industrial diversification.
Against this backdrop, Mozambique remains absent from the leading global investor confidence rankings, despite its potential in natural gas, energy, critical minerals, agriculture, and regional logistics. The country possesses relevant strategic assets but continues to face challenges that weigh on its international perception — including the ongoing instability in Cabo Delgado, limited access to foreign exchange, bureaucracy, institutional weaknesses, pressure on public finances, and uncertainty in the business environment.
The reading for Mozambique is straightforward: international capital exists, but it is becoming increasingly selective. Investors are seeking markets with structural projects, but also with predictability, security, execution capacity, and clear rules. For a country with ambitions to establish itself as an energy, mining, and logistics platform in Southern Africa, investor confidence has become as important as the natural resources themselves.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=528044
