Dubai: The UAE is ranked first in the Arab world and among top 25 countries around the world in 2017 for the efficiency of its judicial system.

The National Agenda Index pointed out that the UAE achieved those ranks in the ‘Ease of doing business’ report for 2017, which is issued by the World Bank and covers 190 countries. The numbers prove that the UAE possesses a secure and fair judicial system that is capable of addressing lawsuits in a record time, at a suitable cost, the National Agenda Index released on Tuesday revealed.

The index gauges the country’s efficiency in enforcing contracts within the ‘Ease of doing business’ report, using a survey implemented by the World Bank based on three perspectives: The time needed to resolve a commercial case from its initiation to its resolution; the cost as percentage of the total value of the lawsuit; and the quality of judicial processes that measure whether an economy has adopted a series of good practices across four main areas — court structure and proceedings, case management, court automation and alternative dispute resolution.

The UAE was also ranked first in the Arab world and seventh globally in 2016 for ‘reliance on police services’, according to the Global Competitiveness Report issued annually by the World Economic Forum. The index reflects the level of reliance on police services to enforce law and order. The UAE’s advanced rank in the index reaffirms that the UAE has a police system that is capable of enforcing the law in a way that makes the UAE one of the safest countries in the world and achieves happiness for the people.

Meanwhile, the index pointed out a decline in fatalities in road accidents — from 6.31 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014 to 5.99 in 2015. Achieving the required low levels of fatalities resulting from traffic accidents is one of the key factors in achieving happiness for the people, ensuring that Emiratis and residents are assured that their families are safe on the road. This comes as a result of the hard work of UAE security bodies, who work day and night to ensure that traffic laws are being adhered to.

The UAE National Agenda focuses on spreading safety and security through the ‘Feeling Secure’ index, a national index that measures the sense of security among locals and residents through a survey that covers different segments of society and different areas, and continued efforts to make the UAE the most safe country.

The launch of the National Agenda indexes issued periodically, complemented by the formation of a National Agenda executive team, is in line with the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The National Agenda for UAE Vision 2021 aspires for the UAE to be the most safe country around the world by making every member of society feel safe. It also aims to achieve advanced ranks in terms of reliance on police services and preparedness to deal with emergencies, while maintaining low crime rates and highest rates in road safety.