The UAE strengthened its international presence in 2025, commanding global rankings across multiple sectors and solidifying its position as one of the world’s most competitive and secure nations.
Safety Leadership
The UAE topped the mid-2025 Numbeo Safety Index with a score of 85.2, reinforcing its long-standing reputation for security and quality of life. This achievement underscores the effectiveness of the nation’s institutional frameworks and public safety infrastructure.
Economic and Institutional Strength
In the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2025, the UAE placed among the global top five with a score of 96.09 out of 100, rising two positions year-on-year and maintaining its status as the highest-ranked country in the Middle East region for the ninth consecutive year. The ranking highlighted strengths in infrastructure, government efficiency, and business environment.
The country also retained its position as the world’s best place for entrepreneurship, ranking first globally in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report 2024/2025 for the fourth consecutive year—a distinction that reflects the UAE’s supportive ecosystem for small and medium-sized enterprises among 56 economies assessed.
Digital and Healthcare Excellence
Digital transformation remained a key pillar of competitiveness. The UAE topped global rankings for telecommunications infrastructure and digital government frameworks in the State of Digital Transformation Report, while also leading the Government AI Readiness Index. The country placed fourth in the World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index and ranked 11th in both the IMD Digital Competitiveness Index and the UN E-Government Development Index.
Healthcare outcomes further strengthened the nation’s international standing. According to the Health Inclusivity Index developed by Haleon with Economist Impact, the UAE ranked first globally for health outreach programmes and community participation in health policy, while placing among the top countries for person-centred healthcare delivery.
Soft Power and Brand Value
In the Global Soft Power Index 2025, the UAE ranked 10th worldwide, while its nation brand value surged to $1.223 trillion. The country also climbed 11 places in the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index to reach 15th globally—remaining the only Arab nation in the world’s top 20.
Investment Confidence
Foreign direct investment remained robust. The UNCTAD World Investment Report 2025 ranked the UAE 10th globally for FDI inflows, recording AED167.6 billion (US$45.6 billion) in 2024. This performance reflects sustained investor confidence in the UAE’s economic stability and growth trajectory.
The UAE’s comprehensive advancement across safety, entrepreneurship, digital infrastructure, and human development demonstrates how integrated institutional strength continues to drive economic momentum and position the nation as a preferred destination for business, investment, and talent entering 2026. As major infrastructure projects accelerate across transport networks, the nation’s competitive advantages are expected to deepen further.
