The UAE has claimed the top spot in the Arab Digital Economy Index 2026, with results announced on Tuesday as Seamless Middle East 2026 opened at Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Running from September 22 to 24, the event drew more than 25,000 participants, around 800 speakers and 750 exhibitors from the payments, fintech, banking, digital commerce, retail, identity and logistics sectors. The opening session brought together diplomats and officials from across the Arab world and beyond, alongside UAE government, financial and academic representatives.
Dr. Ali Mohammed Al-Khouri, Chairman of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, addressed the gathering before launching the index, which evaluates countries across measures including infrastructure, digital government, innovation and market forces. The UAE led the top-performing group alongside Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, while Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria formed the mid-tier group.
The findings pointed to stronger regional progress in digital infrastructure, government services and cybersecurity, though gaps persist in innovation, the data economy and translating digital investment into productivity.
Al-Khouri said the index places digital sovereignty at the centre of discussions shaping the future of Arab economies. He credited the UAE's ranking to sustained investment in infrastructure, government services, cybersecurity and the knowledge economy, calling it a model for innovation-driven growth.
He also thanked President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for backing the Arab Digital Economy Vision since its 2018 launch in Abu Dhabi, later adopted regionally in 2022, and praised Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan for helping turn Arab digital initiatives into practical programmes and platforms.
Seamless Middle East 2026 continues through Thursday with sessions on fintech, e-commerce, AI, data analytics and cybersecurity.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
