World Competitiveness Yearbook 2021, A Testament To UAE’s Leadership: Ministers, Officials

ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 17th Jun, 2021) Several ministers and officials commended the UAE’s latest achievement of being ranked as the most competitive country in the middle East and North African (MENA) region and ninth globally in the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2021 published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, said that the UAE Government, led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, serves as a global model of proactivity and readiness for the future, a testament to which is its advancement in global competitiveness reports over the past few years.

The UAE maintaining its position as the first in the MENA region for five consecutive years, and the ninth globally in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2021, as well as its international leadership in 20 indexes, including adaptability of government policy and absence of bureaucracy, highlight the wise vision of the UAE leadership and the incredible capabilities of its government teams in accelerating post-COVID recovery, she added.

Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, affirmed that the UAE’s latest achievement in terms of boosting global economic competitiveness serves as international recognition received from the world's top organisations in the field, evidencing the excellence of the UAE's economic ecosystem, built as per the directives of the country’s leadership, as well as the UAE Government's ability to turn challenges into opportunities, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

He added that the UAE's leading rankings in indexes related to exports of commercial services, entrepreneurship, and trade to GDP ratio, underscore the UAE's superb strategic vision, the efficiency of its economic and development policies, and the sustainable model adopted to maintain global competitiveness.

For her part, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, said that the UAE’s leading rankings in terms of cultural sophistication speak volumes of the UAE's progress across the cultural and creativity landscapes, noting that cultural, artistic and creative events and activities continued despite COVID-19 complications.

She also pointed out that this amazing achievement highlights the success of the UAE's numerous innovative initiatives aimed at invigorating the UAE's cultural scene.

Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, said that the recognition of the UAE’s accomplishments related to labour in one of the world’s top competitiveness reports crowns the efforts of its Federal and local governments to implement the directives of its leadership to position the UAE among the world's leading countries.

He explained that this epitomises the UAE Government's commitment to enhance the efficiency of the local labour market, he added, highlighting the tireless efforts of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to implement Emiratisation policies and attract skilled labour.

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, commended the achievement as a new success added to its record of achievements.

In a statement on this occasion, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said, "Thanks to the prudent vision of our wise leadership, the UAE focused on turning the challenges that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 into practical opportunities for growth and progress through a proactive approach that looks forward to the future, through which the country succeeded in managing this stage with the highest levels of readiness and preparedness, which contributed to consolidating economic and social stability, and catapulting various sectors to advanced levels compared to many countries of the world.'' Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, asserted that the UAE's forward-looking vision, which builds on the UAE leadership's futuristic plans, has helped drive development and boost agility across all sectors, enhancing their capacity to overcome challenges, which can be seen in the UAE's responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change fallout.

He said, "The UAE's success in becoming a world leader in terms of adaptability of government policy is clear evidence of the sound approach it has adopted, in line with the directives of the leadership, and is yet another achievement added to its impressive track records."