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The Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority reported that the International Institute for Management Development placed Kuwait in 31st position in its 2026 World Competitiveness Ranking. Kuwait’s overall score improved to 70.13 out of 100 from 68.69 in the previous edition when the country ranked 36th among 69 participants. The authority attributed the gains primarily to stronger showings in the economic performance and business efficiency categories of the assessment.
IMD’s evaluation draws on four main pillars to measure an economy’s ability to create and sustain value, according to the organization. These factors include economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure, drawing from a total of 336 criteria. The 2026 edition incorporated Vietnam for the first time, bringing the total number of ranked economies to 70.
IMD figures show the United Arab Emirates finishing in fifth place overall, with Qatar in 11th and Saudi Arabia in 13th. The results position the three Gulf states ahead of Kuwait while reflecting varied progress across the region in areas such as regulatory frameworks and infrastructure development. Kuwait’s five-place improvement marks a continued effort to elevate its standing in the annual survey.
Singapore returned to the top of the 2026 list after placing second in 2025, followed by Hong Kong in second position and Switzerland in third, the IMD World Competitiveness Center reported. Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates completed the top five, underlining the strong performance of select Asian and European economies. The ranking underscores how institutional factors and adaptability influence global competitiveness scores.
The IMD assessment functions as a benchmark for business and investment environments while also serving as a reference for corruption perceptions, Nazaha stated. Kuwait has engaged with the survey over multiple cycles as authorities track shifts in the country’s international positioning. The latest results come amid broader national initiatives aimed at economic diversification and regulatory reform.
The Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority highlighted the score increase as evidence of enhanced performance across key pillars without specifying exact sub-factor movements. IMD has produced the competitiveness evaluation for 38 years, offering consistent year-on-year comparisons for participating economies. Data from the center indicates that top performers typically excel in balancing efficiency with innovation-driven growth.
