Page 22 - MBRF PR REPORT (English) - March 2024

Press Release

Global Knowledge Index 2023 ranks UAE at the top position

among Arab countries

Dubai, UAE, 11 March 2024- The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation
(MBRF) previewed the rankings of Arab countries in the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) 2023.

Revealed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the

MBRF, these rankings highlighted the UAE as a leading performer among Arab states in the GKI
2023. The announcement was made at the eighth edition of the Knowledge Summit held at the

Dubai World Trade Centre under the theme ‘Knowledge Cities and the Fifth Industrial Revolution.’

In a panel discussion titled ‘Building knowledge cities together: UNDP and MBRF partnership for

th
the 5 industrial revolution’, His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of the MBRF, joined in the
announcement of the details regarding the rankings of the GKI 2023. Khaled Abdel Shafi, Director

of the Regional Hub for Arab States, UNDP; and Dr. Hany Torky, Chief Technical Adviser and
Project Manager, Knowledge Project, UNDP, also participated in the session.

The UAE secured the top position among Arab countries in the GKI 2023, which covered a total
of 133 countries, including 12 Arab states. The GKI evaluates 155 variables sourced from over 40

international databases. Qatar claimed the second spot, followed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
in third place. Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman secured the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions,

respectively. Tunisia, Palestine, Egypt, and Morocco claimed the seventh to tenth rankings, while
Jordan and Mauritania secured the eleventh and twelfth spots. The UAE stands out as a leading

performer, particularly in terms of its knowledge infrastructure.

Arab Countries’ Areas of Strength

The GKI 2023 shed light on the strengths and areas requiring improvement in Arab countries,
aiming to narrow the existing divide. The UAE exhibits strengths in various aspects, particularly
in metrics such as active mobile broadband subscriptions per hundred inhabitants, mobile upload

and download speeds, educational attainment (bachelor’s degree or equivalent), entrepreneurial

employee activity rate, and the percentage of individuals with standard ICT skills. These strengths