Page 50 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGIONAL NEWS

UAE Ranks First in Arab Region in IMD World Digital Competitiveness
Ranking

to understand how 63 economies employ culture among all members of society, he
digital technologies. Abdulla bin Touq Al added. The UAE ranked first in the factors
Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, said, "The of "Wireless broadband," "Public-private
fact that the UAE ranked first globally in partnerships" and "Immigration laws,"
the ‘Public-Private Partnerships’ confirms and jumped to second place in the factors
the strong belief of its government in the of "Foreign highly-skilled personnel"
importance of the partnership between and "Use of big data and analytics by
the public and private sectors, upon the businesses." It also ranked third globally
directives of the country’s leadership to in the factors of "Management of cities,"
promote the role of the private sector, "Net flow of international students" and
as one of the key cornerstones of the "Foreign highly-skilled personnel," as
national economy." Hamad Obaid Al well as in the "Legal Framework" sub-
Mansoori, Director-General of the factor. The country ranked fourth in the
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, "Technology" key factor, as well as in
TRA, praised the UAE’s performance in factors of "Opportunities and threats"
this year’s rankings and its advancement factor and "Cyber Security." It also ranked
in this strategic sector, stating, "The fifth in the world in the "Attitudes toward
results achieved by the UAE in the IMD Globalization" and the "Talent" sub-factor.
World Digital Competitiveness Ranking The United States came first, Singapore
2020 represent a global recognition of second, and Denmark third in the 2020 IMD
its achievements in the area of global World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, a
competitiveness, confirming the country’s giant compilation of data that economists
The UAE ranked first in the Arab region and capacity to adapt and develop various said could help predict how well economies
one of the best in the world in the "World forms of digital technologies that will would weather the pandemic. "In the midst
Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2020" facilitate the digital transformation of its of uncertainty and a fluid global situation,
issued by the IMD World Competitiveness government authorities, business sector it seems that business and societies
Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland. The and community." Major General Mansour that are agile correlate strongly with
UAE, which ranked 14th globally, ahead Ahmed Al Dhaheri, Director-General of the IMD World Digital Competitiveness
of countries such as Australia, China, the Federal Authority for Identity and ranking. Knowledge also remains of
Germany, France, Japan and Belgium, Citizenship, ICA, expressed his pride in the paramount importance for the digital
maintained its leadership in the Arab region UAE achievement of first place in the world performance of different economies,"
in all categories of the rankings, most in the "Immigration laws" index. The Federal stated Professor Arturo Bris, Director of
notably in the "Technology" factor where it Authority for Identity and Citizenship the IMD World Competitiveness Center.
ranks fourth globally, as well as in " Future has attached great importance to digital COVID-19 has shown the importance
readiness" where its ranks 11th globally, transformation in its method of work, which of digitalization as one way to increase
and "Knowledge" where it advanced four is based on improving ICA's performance resilience. An economy’s ability to adopt
places. Now in its fourth year, the IMD in the field of digital transformation, and new technologies quickly in response to
World Digital Competitiveness Ranking the integrated digitization of operations the changing landscape that the pandemic
measures the capacity and readiness and services, starting with 100 percent has brought about will affect its recovery
of 63 economies through three key automating its services and reducing the speed. "Recovery is driven by many factors,
factors (Knowledge, Technology and percentage of customers in customer such as the health of public finances. But
Future readiness), nine sub-factors and happiness centers to 80 percent by 2021,'' also, fundamentally, by the digital
52 criteria to adopt and explore digital he said. As investment in human capital is competitiveness of those economies," he
technologies as a key driver for economic the engine of development, we will work explained.
transformation in business, government with all our strategic partners to spread
and wider society. It uses an array of data digital awareness and build a digital

50 SEP-OCT 2020