The United Arab Emirates ranked first regionally in the 2023/2024 Human Development Index report issued by the United Nations Development Programme, advancing nine places in the global ranking from the previous report, to rank 17th globally out of 193 countries covered in the report, ahead of countries such as Canada, the United States, and Japan, thereby attaining a prestigious status and becoming the only Arab country among the top 20 globally.
Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, acknowledges the UAE government's commitment to serving humanity under the leadership of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He highlights the UAE's regional leadership and global excellence in human development, attributing success to comprehensive policies promoting prosperity and sustainable development across education, health, economy, and living standards.
Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, emphasizes the UAE's aspiration to excel in global competitiveness reports, focusing on human welfare. She credits the UAE's 17th global ranking in human development to collaborative efforts across federal and local entities, aiming for continued progress in competitiveness and societal well-being.
According to the report titled "Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World" this year, the UAE’s score reached 0.937, advancing from last year by 0.026 points, while Switzerland, which ranked first globally, scored 0.967. The UAE's score in the life expectancy at birth indicator reached 79.2 years, contributing to the third goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (Good Health and Well-being), adopted by the United Nations member states for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The UAE's score in the Expected Years of Schooling indicator was 17.2 years, while the Mean Years of Schooling was 12.8 years, reflecting on the fourth goal (Quality Education), while the Gross National Income per capita was US$74.104.
It is worth mentioning that the Human Development Report is issued annually by the United Nations Development Programme since 1990, and it is a composite index that reflects the well-being of peoples in the world through three dimensions (health, knowledge, and living standards), represented in four indicators: life expectancy at birth, expected years of schooling, mean years of schooling, and per capita gross national income.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
