UAE raises the bar in competitiveness
Report shows nation’s acuity of foresight is sharper than many advanced economies around the globe “China’s undemocratic governance, exported to Hong Kong and potentially someday to Taiwan, is also an important reason why Japan and South Korea should fear
When a nation commits itself to excellence in the pursuit of its goals, it does so primarily due to an innate desire to prosper and, happily for it, this pragmatic idealism comes with its own reward — it inherits a naturally winning competitive streak that gets stronger with time. The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2014- 2015, considered one of the most comprehensive assessments of national competitiveness worldwide, once again provides proof of how the UAE has perfected the synergy between achievement and encomiums.
The report highlights the many achievements of the UAE that place it in the august company of nations vastly older than it in a spectrum of domains that are critical to a country’s progress. From2011 to the present, the UAE has steadily moved up the ranks. Placed in the 25th position in 2011, it has jumped 15 rungs to take the 12th position in 2014 in world rankings for global competitiveness. It has also moved upwards in 78 out of 119 growth indicators. This kind of agility for a country so young is indisputable evidence of its robust health and vision.
A look at some of the categories it has scored in proves that the UAE’s foresight is sharper than that of many advanced economies around the world, which are still struggling to measure up: The UAE leads in the absence of organised crime, quality of roads, lowest inflation index. It takes the second place in areas such as government procurement of advanced technology, effectiveness of government spending, open trade environment and aviation; and third place in citizens’ confidence in government leadership and the absence of bureaucracy.
Each of these virtues is a building block and together, they structure the UAE’s imposing invincibility of purpose, which is visible not only to its citizens but also to the region and theworld at large. Every day, these winning operating principles positively influence the lives of residents and visitors alike, reiterating the outcome of the pursuit of excellence. And it is this national ethic, the UAE’s distinguishing feature, that has enabled it to become a global benchmark in diverse fields.