UAE first in Arab region in IMD ‘Digital Competitiveness Ranking’

The UAE, which ranked 14th globally, ahead of countries such as Australia, China, Germany, France, Japan and Belgium, maintained its leadership in the Arab region in all categories of the rankings, most notably in the "Technology" factor where it ranks fourth globally, as well as in " Future readiness" where its ranks 11th globally, and "Knowledge" where it advanced four places. Now in its fourth year, the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking measures the capacity and readiness of 63 economies through three key factors (Knowledge, Technology and Future readiness), nine sub-factors and 52 criteria to adopt and explore digital technologies as a key driver for economic transformation in business, government and wider society. It uses an array of data to understand how 63 economies employ digital technologies. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, said, "The fact that the UAE ranked first globally in the ‘Public-Private Partnerships’ confirms the strong belief of its government in the importance of the partnership between the public and private sectors, upon the directives of the country’s leadership to promote the role of the private sector, as one of the key cornerstones of the national economy." Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, TRA, praised the UAE’s performance in this year’s rankings and its advancement in this strategic sector, stating, "The results achieved by the UAE in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2020 represent a global recognition of its achievements in the area of global competitiveness, confirming the country’s capacity to adapt and develop various forms of digital technologies that will facilitate the digital transformation of its government authorities, business sector and community."