Image courtesy: WAM/ For illustrative purposes
The UAE has cemented its position among the world’s most competitive nations, rising two spots to rank fifth globally in the 2025 edition of the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, published by the IMD World Competitiveness Center in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Scoring an impressive 96.09 out of 100 points, the UAE outperformed major economies including the US, Germany, Sweden, and Canada.
The country also retained its status as the most competitive nation in the Middle East and North Africa for the ninth consecutive year.
The achievement was highlighted during a recent UAE Cabinet meeting, where officials reviewed the report and reaffirmed the nation’s strategic focus on economic leadership, business innovation, and institutional efficiency, according to the Dubai Media Office.
Mohammed bin Rashid chairs UAE Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan and reviews the country’s achievement of placing 5th globally in the 2025 Annual Competitiveness Report, issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). pic.twitter.com/OtzTjIZx8M
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 17, 2025
IMD World Competitiveness Ranking: Pillars, UAE’s gains
The IMD report evaluated 69 countries using 341 indicators across four main pillars: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure.
The 2025 edition also introduced five new indicators — food waste, environmental performance, freely elected government, passport mobility, and media bias — offering a broader view of national competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global context.
The UAE posted significant gains in the business efficiency category, jumping seven places to rank third globally. It also ranked second in economic performance and fourth in government efficiency, underscoring the country’s strong policy frameworks and private sector dynamism.
In total, the UAE led in 113 global indicators, ranking first worldwide in 22, including employment rate, absence of bureaucracy, availability of global expertise, digital transformation in companies, venture capital, energy infrastructure, inbound mobility of higher education students, and female parliamentary representation.
The country also ranked second in social cohesion, flexibility of residency laws, and adaptability of government policies, and placed third in graduates in science disciplines, healthcare infrastructure, and digital technology leverage.
The UAE’s continued rise in the global rankings reflects a long-term national vision focused on diversification, talent attraction, and public-private collaboration — a model that appears increasingly influential on the world stage.
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