The UAE topped the countries in the Middle East and North Africa in the Global Competitiveness Yearbook 2021 report, for the fifth consecutive year. In the report issued by the Global Competitiveness Center of the International Institute for Management Development based in Lausanne, Switzerland, the UAE ranked ninth globally, maintaining its position among the top 10 most competitive countries in the world. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE outperformed countries such as the United States, Finland, Canada, Luxembourg, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Thus, the UAE remains the only country in the Middle East and North Africa that has successfully secured a position among the top ten for five consecutive years, since joining the list of the top ten in 2017, according to the report published by one of the most important institutions specialized in this field worldwide.
The UAE Leads in 22 Indicators
According to this year's report results, the United Arab Emirates ranked first globally in 22 indicators, while it ranked among the top five globally in 62 indicators and among the top ten globally in 120 indicators out of a total of 335 indicators addressed in this year's report. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, stated, "Today, the global competitiveness report was released by the Institute of Management Development in Switzerland. Despite the pandemic, we advanced in 120 global indicators and topped the world in 20 developmental indicators." He added, "The UAE is among the top ten in competitiveness and first worldwide in the government's ability to adapt to changes. We did not stand still during the pandemic, nor will we after."
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic was not an excuse to slow down government work but rather a motivation to accelerate development, legislation, and adaptation to changes, and today we see the results. He said, "The UAE is making continuous progress in most global indicators over the last five years and over the last fifty years, the people of the UAE have not stopped moving forward." He continued, "The UAE is first regionally in most developmental and competitive indicators and among the best ten countries globally in 120 developmental indicators, and our journey continues; our caravan will not stop."
UAE's Global Leadership
The UAE topped the global ranking in 20 indicators in the report, ranking first globally in indicators such as entrepreneurship, absence of bureaucracy, information security, government's policy adaptability to global changes, growth in trade services exports, and trade balance as a percentage of total GDP. It also excelled in indicators of residence laws flexibility, transfer of higher education students into the country, community support values for competitiveness, and the ability to absorb the need for economic and social improvements. Additionally, it ranked high in the availability of top specialized managers, environmental laws, skilled labor availability, low labor disputes, and the ratio of women in parliament, among many other indicators covered in the Global Competitiveness Yearbook 2021.
The UAE's performance in the main axes of the report was distinguished, ranking third globally in government efficiency, eighth globally in business efficiency, and ninth globally in economic performance, while maintaining 28th place in infrastructure.
Remarkable Leap
The UAE also recorded remarkable leaps in this year's report compared to last year's in several indicators. It surged to the first position globally in commercial services export growth, achieving a jump of 28 ranks from last year's report. It also ranked first globally in trade balance, with a leap of 15 ranks. In flexibility and adaptability to global changes, the UAE ranked fourth globally, achieving a progress of seven ranks. The UAE ranked fourth globally in corporate flexibility, advancing two places from last year's report. It surged 26 ranks in the indicator of internet user growth, reaching ninth globally, and achieved an eight-rank advancement in tourism revenue, placing the UAE ninth globally in this indicator.
It is worth noting that the Global Competitiveness Yearbook report is considered an important reference for many other international institutions that rely on this report for their studies and publications, and many academic institutions view it as an important measure for identifying best international practices.
