DUBAI (WAM)
The UAE has topped the Arab Digital Economy Index 2026, whose results were announced on Tuesday as Seamless Middle East 2026 opened in Dubai under the patronage of His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Supreme President of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy.
Held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 22nd - 24th September, the event brings together the payments, fintech, banking, digital commerce, retail, identity and logistics sectors, with more than 25,000 participants, around 800 speakers and 750 exhibitors.
The opening session drew Arab and international diplomatic, government and institutional representatives, including ambassadors and delegates from Egypt, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, Mauritania, Tunisia, Syria, Djibouti and Palestine, alongside Russian representatives and officials from international and regional organisations.
UAE government, economic, financial and academic officials also attended, along with representatives of the finance, energy, customs and economic development sectors, banks, chambers of commerce, research and innovation centres and international organisations.
The opening programme featured an address by Dr Ali Mohammed Al-Khouri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy and Advisor to the Council of Arab Economic Unity, followed by the launch of the Arab Digital Economy Index 2026.
Officials from the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park and the UAE Banks Federation also addressed the event before delegates toured the exhibition.
The index assesses digital-economy performance across a framework covering institutions, infrastructure, workforce, digital government, innovation, knowledge and technology, market forces, capital-market growth and sustainable development.
The UAE led the highest-performing group, which also included Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman.
The second group, comprising countries with medium levels of performance, included Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria.
The third group, representing countries in the process of building their digital foundations, comprised Lebanon, Mauritania, Iraq, Djibouti, Comoros, Libya, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen.
The results showed stronger progress across the Arab world in digital infrastructure, government services and cybersecurity, while wider gaps remained in innovation, the data economy, research and development and the ability to translate digital investment into productivity and economic value.
Al-Khouri said the latest edition of the index places digital sovereignty at the heart of discussions on the future of Arab economies, as data, artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, semiconductors and cybersecurity become increasingly important to countries' economic and institutional capabilities.
Commenting on the UAE's ranking, he said it reflects years of sustained investment in digital infrastructure, government services, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and the knowledge economy, establishing the country as a leading model for building an innovation-driven economy that translates technological advancement into higher productivity and economic value.
Al-Khouri thanked the UAE for supporting the development of the Arab digital economy and expressed appreciation to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his support and patronage of the Arab Digital Economy Vision, which he said has helped advance joint Arab action in the sector.
He also praised the continued support of His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, saying his supportive role has helped transform several Arab initiatives from concepts and strategies into practical programmes, platforms and projects.
The Arab Digital Economy Vision was launched in Abu Dhabi in 2018 with the support and patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and was subsequently adopted at the Arab leaders' level in 2022 as a framework for regional cooperation in the digital economy and technological transformation.
The Arab Digital Economy Index is among the tools developed by the federation to measure progress, identify gaps and determine future priorities.
Seamless Middle East 2026 features three days of discussions on fintech, digital payments, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity and emerging technologies, bringing together government entities, financial institutions, technology companies, investors and experts from the region and beyond.