The United Arab Emirates has achieved the ninth position globally in the Global Digital Competitiveness Report 2025, published by the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland. This positions the country among the top ten nations worldwide in digital performance, reinforcing its regional leadership and surpassing several developed economies. It highlights the UAE’s ability to keep pace with swift technological advancements and to construct a comprehensive digital development model based on innovation, artificial intelligence, and human capital.
Engineer Majid Sultan Al-Mansoori, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, stated that the UAE’s ninth place in the 2025 digital competitiveness index reflects the efficiency of its digital ecosystem and the maturity of its technological infrastructure in both government and economic sectors. This solidifies its standing as a global model for building integrated, flexible, and secure digital infrastructures that accelerate innovation and enhance the competitiveness of the national economy.
He added, “We view this progress as the result of comprehensive institutional collaboration between government and private entities, working together to improve digital performance and sustain development in this field. This achievement reflects the UAE’s steady trajectory towards global leadership, as digital transformation has now become a firmly established national approach that contributes to enhancing the quality of life and supporting sustainable economic growth.”
Hanane Mansour Al-Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, affirmed that the results for the UAE in the Global Digital Competitiveness Report highlight its distinguished pathways in digital transformation at both the regional and global levels. They confirm the success of national policies and strategies aimed at building a sustainable knowledge economy, empowering local talents to enhance their skills, and preparing them to adapt to rapid technological shifts. This bolsters the UAE’s standing as a leading global model for digital transformation, ensuring a knowledge-based environment and sustainable opportunities for future generations while fostering a community centered on innovation and future sciences.
The UAE secured the top global position in several qualitative indicators, including internet usage, the expansion of high-speed communication networks, availability of venture capital, effective public-private partnerships, and advancements in digital skills, along with leading the world in attracting international students and providing global expertise. The country ranked among the top five globally in fifteen indicators and within the top ten in twenty-two indicators, reflecting the depth and comprehensiveness of digital development across various sectors.
The report revealed that the UAE advanced to the ninth position globally in its latest iteration, having previously held the eighteenth position in the inaugural report of 2017. This trajectory indicates a consistent upward movement in digital competitiveness, demonstrating the maturity of the national digital environment and the proactivity of government policies. The report also reiterated that the UAE remains a leader in the region, being the only country to rank among the top ten globally in this domain.
Furthermore, the report highlighted that the UAE achieved notable results in the primary pillars of digital competitiveness, ranking fifth globally in future readiness due to its high capacity to adopt emerging technologies and develop advanced digital systems. The country also placed sixth in technology because of its progress in digital infrastructure and the expansion of investments in advanced technology and digital government services, along with twelfth place globally in knowledge due to national programs aimed at developing skills and supporting specialized education in future-oriented fields.
The report pointed out that the UAE successfully maintained the momentum of its digital advancements despite global challenges arising from economic and geopolitical shifts and changes in technology supply chains. This reinforces its status as one of the best global models capable of sustaining digital openness, flexible policies, and an environment that encourages innovation.
For the first time, the report included data related to patents in artificial intelligence and private investments in this area, showcasing the UAE’s regional superiority in these indicators. This reflects the national AI strategy’s objectives and its vision towards an advanced knowledge economy.
These results align with the country’s strategic initiatives, which include the UAE Centennial 2071, the National AI Strategy 2031, and the Digital Government Strategy, as well as the leading initiatives launched to develop and build young competencies, such as the Million Arab Programmers initiative, technical education initiatives, advanced research laboratories, and programs to empower specialized national talents.
Overall, the results underscore the UAE’s status as a global model in digital transformation and leadership in the economy of the future, reflecting the leadership’s vision in building a pioneering digital development system capable of competing, creating opportunities, and enhancing national capacities while providing an economy based on innovation, knowledge, and future sciences.