{"version":"1","article":{"id":"uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","slug":"uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","language":"en","url":"https://haberpaper.com/en/news/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","api_url":"https://haberpaper.com/api/v1/articles/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026?lang=en","title":"UAE leads 2026 Arab digital-economy index as report flags innovation gaps","summary":"The Arab Federation for Digital Economy’s fifth index edition placed the UAE first among Arab countries. It said the region has advanced in digital infrastructure and public services while gaps remain in research, innovation and converting technology into economic value.","category":"business","region":"world","topics":["statistics","ai"],"published_at":"2026-10-10T20:27:35+03:00","modified_at":"2026-10-10T20:27:35+03:00","publication_basis":"publication-record","event_period":"2026-09-22","event_period_basis":"event-or-reference-period","sources":[{"name":"Arab Federation for Digital Economy","url":"https://arab-digital-economy.org/28888?lang=en","checkedAt":"2026-10-10","publishedAt":"2026-09-22"}],"translations":[{"language":"tr","url":"https://haberpaper.com/tr/news/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","api_url":"https://haberpaper.com/api/v1/articles/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026?lang=tr"},{"language":"en","url":"https://haberpaper.com/en/news/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","api_url":"https://haberpaper.com/api/v1/articles/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026?lang=en"},{"language":"ar","url":"https://haberpaper.com/ar/news/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","api_url":"https://haberpaper.com/api/v1/articles/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026?lang=ar"},{"language":"fr","url":"https://haberpaper.com/fr/news/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","api_url":"https://haberpaper.com/api/v1/articles/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026?lang=fr"},{"language":"es","url":"https://haberpaper.com/es/news/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026","api_url":"https://haberpaper.com/api/v1/articles/uae-arab-digital-economy-index-2026?lang=es"}],"data_types":[],"data":null,"data_compilations":[],"data_downloads":[],"content":{"paragraphs":["The Arab Federation for Digital Economy released the fifth edition of its index on 22 September at Seamless Middle East in Dubai. The federation’s announcement placed the UAE first among Arab countries, with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman also in the highest-performing group. It reported that 20 Arab countries improved from the 2024 edition, while two recorded a slight decline.","The index’s nine pillars were reorganised into eight analytical axes covering governance and digital institutions; infrastructure; human capital; innovation and technology; the data economy and artificial intelligence; digital and financial inclusion; cybersecurity and data sovereignty; and economic and social impact. The federation said its database uses published international sources and, where available, official national data, and that results underwent sensitivity and robustness tests. The announcement does not provide country scores and describes the index as a comparative tool for tracking trends and gaps, rather than a definitive or absolute performance measure."],"key_points":[],"sections":[]},"text":"The Arab Federation for Digital Economy’s fifth index edition placed the UAE first among Arab countries. It said the region has advanced in digital infrastructure and public services while gaps remain in research, innovation and converting technology into economic value.\n\nThe Arab Federation for Digital Economy released the fifth edition of its index on 22 September at Seamless Middle East in Dubai. The federation’s announcement placed the UAE first among Arab countries, with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman also in the highest-performing group. It reported that 20 Arab countries improved from the 2024 edition, while two recorded a slight decline.\n\nThe index’s nine pillars were reorganised into eight analytical axes covering governance and digital institutions; infrastructure; human capital; innovation and technology; the data economy and artificial intelligence; digital and financial inclusion; cybersecurity and data sovereignty; and economic and social impact. The federation said its database uses published international sources and, where available, official national data, and that results underwent sensitivity and robustness tests. The announcement does not provide country scores and describes the index as a comparative tool for tracking trends and gaps, rather than a definitive or absolute performance measure.","corrections":[],"editorial_illustration":{"kind":"symbolic-editorial-illustration","documentary":false,"scope":"section","asset_id":"business","url":"https://haberpaper.com/assets/illustrations/business-1536.webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"alt":"Symbolic industrial workshop with machinery, a warehouse and a crane.","language":"en"},"section_illustration":{"kind":"symbolic-editorial-illustration","documentary":false,"scope":"section","asset_id":"business","url":"https://haberpaper.com/assets/illustrations/business-1536.webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"alt":"Symbolic industrial workshop with machinery, a warehouse and a crane.","language":"en"}}}