By Staff Reporter
DUBAI — The United Arab Emirates has taken the top position in the 2026 Arab Digital Economy Index, highlighting its progress in digital infrastructure, government services, innovation and cybersecurity.
The results were announced on Tuesday as Seamless Middle East 2026 opened at the Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The three-day event, running from September 22 to 24, has attracted more than 25,000 participants, about 800 speakers and 750 exhibitors representing the payments, fintech, banking, digital commerce, retail, digital identity and logistics sectors.
Dr Ali Mohammed Al-Khouri, Chairman of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, announced the index during the opening session. The assessment examines Arab economies across areas including digital infrastructure, digital government, innovation and market forces.
The UAE was placed in the leading group alongside Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria were placed in the middle-performing group.
The index identified continued regional improvements in digital infrastructure, government services and cybersecurity. However, it also highlighted persistent challenges in innovation, the data economy and converting digital investment into higher productivity.
Al-Khouri said digital sovereignty had become an increasingly important issue in shaping the future of Arab economies. He attributed the UAE’s leading position to sustained investment in infrastructure, digital government, cybersecurity and the knowledge economy.
He described the UAE’s approach as a model for innovation-led economic development and credited the country’s leadership with supporting the wider Arab Digital Economy Vision.
The vision was launched in Abu Dhabi in 2018 before being adopted at the regional level in 2022.
Al-Khouri also acknowledged President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for supporting the initiative and Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his role in advancing regional digital programmes and platforms.
Seamless Middle East 2026 continues at Dubai World Trade Centre through Thursday, with discussions covering fintech, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, data analytics and cybersecurity.
Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)
