When it comes to being competitive in doing businesses, the UAE is ranked as the most competitive nation in the Arab world, and is rated 16th globally in the annual assessment from the World Economic Forum’s Global competitiveness Report. Switzerland tops the list, followed by Singapore, the US and the Netherlands. In the Gulf Cooperation Council grouping, Qatar (18) and Saudi Arabia (29) follow the UAE, with Kuwait (38), Bahrain (48) and Oman (66) in global rankings.
Often, these types of reports are overlooked or debunked, but the reality is that they are an important indicator and measure from an authoritative and unbiased source and show exactly how each economy is performing in the business world.
These are not the easiest of times, and the fact that the UAE has improved its rankings and can realistically begin to reach out into the top 10 most competitive nations reflects on the innovation and policies nurtured and pursued by every level of government here in partnership with industry and business.
Given the effect of the decline in oil revenues, the UAE’s ability to actually improve and become more competitive speaks to the high levels of productivity, the adaptive uses of new technologies, and a commitment to innovation and growing business opportunities. Where others see retraction, UAE businesses see opportunities for expansion.
Aiding that ability to expand are the investments in infrastructure and projects focused on getting more goods to more marketplaces more cheaply. Kizad, the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi, for example, is adding more container capacity to compliment that available in Jebel Ali — and those containers move on trucks driven on a better road network.
