UAE Achieves Top Global Rankings Across Key Competitiveness and Development Indices in 2025
Abu Dhabi, The Gulf Observer: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured leading positions across multiple major global competitiveness and development indices in 2025, reflecting the nation’s rapid institutional and economic growth and solidifying its status among the world’s most influential economies.
In the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2025, the UAE ranked among the global top five, scoring 96.09 out of 100 points, climbing two places from the previous year and retaining its position as the top-ranked country in the region for the ninth consecutive year.
The country also made significant strides in soft power and national branding. In the Global Soft Power Index 2025, released in February in London, the UAE achieved 10th place globally, while its Nation Brand value rose from $1 trillion to $1.223 trillion. These accomplishments were complemented by notable gains in human development, with the UAE ascending 11 spots to 15th place in the UNDP Human Development Index 2025, remaining the only Arab country among the world’s top 20 nations.
Talent and workforce development were equally strong areas for the UAE. In the IMD World Talent Rankings 2025, the nation ranked 9th globally, marking an eight-place jump from 2024, thanks to high scores in workforce readiness and international appeal.
In healthcare, the UAE achieved top global positions in health outreach programmes, community participation in health policy, and wellbeing promotion, according to the Health Inclusivity Index developed by Haleon in partnership with Economist Impact. The country also ranked among the top five globally for person-centred healthcare, second in inclusive health system implementation, and 10th in health literacy.
Technological leadership remains a cornerstone of the UAE’s international standing. The second edition of the State of Digital Transformation Report placed the UAE first globally in telecommunications infrastructure, institutional frameworks for digital government, and the digital content index. The nation also topped the Government AI Readiness Index 2024 by Oxford Insights, ranked third in government service delivery, and fourth in the GovTech Maturity Index by the World Bank. The UAE achieved 11th place in both the IMD Digital Competitiveness Index and the UN E-Government Development Index.
Safety and business-friendly policies continue to reinforce the UAE’s global reputation. The country was named the safest in the world in the mid-2025 Numbeo Safety Index, recording a score of 85.2. Entrepreneurship and investment remain key pillars, with the UAE ranked first globally for the fourth consecutive year in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report 2024/2025, and identified as the leading country for entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises among 56 economies.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) performance further highlights the UAE’s economic appeal. According to the UNCTAD World Investment Report 2025, the UAE ranked 10th globally as a destination for FDI inflow, attracting AED 167.6 billion ($45.6 billion) in 2024.
These rankings collectively underscore the UAE’s sustained progress across economic, social, technological, and institutional dimensions, reinforcing its position as a global leader in competitiveness, innovation, and human development.
