1. NS4453 Spring Term 2017 WEF Country Stages/Rankings
WEF Competitiveness Report

2. WEF 2016/17 Rankings

3. Global Competitiveness Index Framework

4. WEF Stage Placement

5. WEF Stage Placement: MENA

6. Rankings MENA Countries

7. MENA Assessment I
MENA region countries continue to experience significant instability from spillover effects from conflicts in
Libya
Syria and
Yemen
These conflicts are undermining economic progress in entire region
Instability also being created by uncertain future energy prices
Oil exporting countries are experiencing
Lower growth
Higher fiscal deficits and
Rising concerns about unemployment

8. MENA Assessment I
Growth in GCC countries averaged 5.2% between 2000 and 2012 but averaged 2.5% for 2015 and 2016
Rising oil supplies are expected to keep prices low and limit growth expectations in the coming years
Although region’s oil exporting countries are diverse in terms of their competitiveness two commonalities
First – despite recent privatization efforts, most national economies remain
state dominated and
not sufficiently diversified

9. MENA Assessment 2016-17 II State’s state in state-owned enterprises
Saudi Arabia 19.8% GDP
UAE 21.8%
Qatar 23.1%
Oil sector remains predominant in many countries with oil GDP share of total GDP ranging from
19.5% Yemen to
62.9% Kuwait

10. MENA Assessment III
Competition remains constrained throughout the region:
Level of domestic competition and openness to foreign trade and investment remains below OECD levels for most countries
Efficiency and productivity could be improved by continued privatization
Reducing regulatory barriers to entry for domestic companies and
Making business environments more welcoming for foreign directors and investment and more conducive to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises

11. MENA Assessment IV
Second as rapid global technological change gathers pace, putting in place
Innovation
Technological readiness and
Health and primary education
Will be increasingly important
Oil-exporting countries in the MENA region have room for improvement in these areas
Should go hand in hand with the diversification away from the energy sector.

12. MENA Assessment V
The most competitive economy in this group, the UAE, is also the most diversified and has made great strides toward improving since 2011
Technological readiness 30th to 18th
Innovation 28th to 25th
Growth in the oil importing economies has also slowed down from 5.4% between 2000 to 2012 to 1.9% in 2015
Often a result of spillover effects from reginal conflict

13. MENA Assessment VI
Key priorities for these countries continue to be
Fostering employment and
Making economies more inclusive
To meet population’s demands for higher living standards and economic opportunities
This will require reforms that aim to strengthen the private sector
Promoting competition
Reducing red tape and
Making labor market more flexible

14. MENA Assessment VII
Drop in oil prices creates a window of opportunity to tackle long-standing energy subsidies which would
Allow for more competitiveness enhancing investments and
Help to stabilize the macroeconomic environment which remains strained in most countries