Dubai ‘most future ready’ in Arab world, says new report

Dubai has been named first in the Arab world and 11th globally in ‘future readiness’ for 2019, according to a new report.

The Global Competitiveness of Talent report by the Institute for Administrative Development in Switzerland, in cooperation with the Dubai Competitiveness Office in the Department of Economic Development (DED), evaluated various cities across the globe around three main axes – investment in developing local talent; future readiness based on currently available talent, and future readiness as a magnet for international talent.

As well as ranking 11th in the availability of future talent, Dubai stood seventh worldwide in terms of foreign students per 1,000 population, and 16th in attracting global talent – or second in the Arab world. The emirate scored well in most of the 10 sub-indices of the global talent axis, according to state media agency WAM, including foreign talent operating within the city, standard of living, protection of individuals and property, and the rate of personal income tax.

Hani Al Hamli, director general of the Dubai Competitiveness Office, said that Dubai’s top ranking in future-readiness validated the efforts of the government to move towards a knowledge-based economy by attracting talented entrepreneurs and encouraging them to invest in innovative and strategic initiatives.

“Initiatives like the Gold Card permanent residency scheme for investors, entrepreneurs and talented students, as well as the region’s first Virtual Commercial City that seeks to provide commercial licences without requiring residency, will contribute significantly to raising Dubai’s ranking in the Global Competitiveness of Talent in the coming years,” he said.

“The focus on attracting global talent will continue to enhance Dubai’s prestige globally. Consequently, more and more innovators and entrepreneurs will choose to live and work in Dubai, thus adding substantial value to the gross domestic product (GDP).”

The Dubai Competitiveness Office works with local and international partners to support sustainable development, strengthen the role of the private sector, and enhance overall competitiveness to position Dubai as a preferred city. It is aligned with the strategic initiatives and directives of the Government of Dubai, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Future Research, Dubai 10X, Dubai Future Foundation, AREA 2071, and Dubai Future Academy to make Dubai future-ready.

“The Global Competitiveness of Talent report proves that Dubai is cementing its position internationally as an ideal destination for competitive business, prosperous living and sustainability,” added Al Hamli, who pointed out that the report, which includes a survey of 63 global economies, underlines Dubai’s efforts to develop policies that attract and nurture talent.