UAE Jumps Six Places to Secure Top 10 Spot in IMD Index
The United Arab Emirates climbed six places to rank 10th globally in the Government Support Index for 2026, meeting its core strategic target for the year. Financial institutions, government entities, and local economic sectors operate within a tighter, more efficient fiscal environment as the nation optimizes its public spending ratio.
The index, published within the International Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026, measures government support as a percentage of gross domestic product. The UAE recorded an index value of 0.43% this year, down from 0.55% in 2025. Ministry of Finance analysts noted that a lower percentage reflects superior performance and higher efficiency in directing public funds toward targeted economic impact rather than sheer volume of expenditure.
His Excellency Mohammed bin Hadi Al-Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, affirmed that the rise to 10th place demonstrates the resilience of the nation’s financial system. He stated that the achievement stems from close coordination between federal authorities and the finance departments of local governments, which operate under a unified framework for public finance statistics. This institutional integration improves data reliability and ensures consistency across national reporting.
Beyond the support index, the country maintained key positions across other pillars of the 2026 yearbook. The UAE secured second place globally in the Public Finance Index, third place in the Budget Surplus Index, seventh place in Public Spending, and fourth place in the Government Efficiency pillar.
This upward movement builds on the country’s 16th-place finish in the 2025 rankings, fulfilling a targeted leap into the top tier of global competitiveness.
