Oman is making remarkable progress on the global stage, with notable improvements across key international rankings, according to the 2024 Oman Competitiveness Annual Report released by the National Competitiveness Office.
Now in its third edition, the report highlights the Sultanate’s growing momentum in climbing global indices, reinforcing its role as a reference point for policymakers, private institutions, and researchers.
One of the report’s most striking findings is Oman’s leap of 94 places in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), now ranking 55th out of 180 countries. Oman also claimed first place globally in several environmental sub-indices, including:
Marine Protection Stringency Index
Black Carbon Emissions Growth Rate
Bottom Trawling in its Exclusive Economic Zone
Oman’s economic reforms are also yielding results. In the 2024 Index of Economic Freedom by the Heritage Foundation, the country advanced 39 places to 56th, moving from a “mostly unfree” to a “somewhat free” economy. Improvements were seen across:
Government Spending (from 59.4 to 70.8)
Investment Freedom (from 60 to 70)
Financial Freedom (from 50 to 60)
Digitally, Oman climbed from 54th to 50th in the Network Readiness Index, with top global rankings in:
9th in government investment in emerging technologies
11th in bridging the gender gap in internet use
23rd in ICT education skills
Oman also outperformed the global average in the Future of Growth report, scoring 50.59 overall, and a perfect 100 in areas such as ICT capital and rural electrification.
In governance, Oman saw improved scores aligned with Vision 2040 targets, including:
Rule of Law: 70.2
Regulatory Quality: 66.5
Government Effectiveness: 62.2
Commenting on the results, Dr. Salem bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, emphasized the continued role of the National Competitiveness Office in monitoring and improving Oman’s global rankings. “The office continues to track national performance through targeted programs and initiatives, aiming to enhance Oman’s international standing and address any challenges that may arise,” he told the Oman News Agency.
Source: The Arabian Stories
