Doha, June 17 /QNA/ – The National Planning Council announced that the State of Qatar has made a new stride in its development journey by ranking 9th globally in the 2025 World Competitiveness Report issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland — marking the first time in its history that Qatar has entered the top ten in this global ranking.

This achievement reflects Qatar’s distinguished position in economic and administrative performance indicators and affirms the success of its long-term national policies, aligned with the implementation of the Third National Development Strategy and the realization of Qatar National Vision 2030.

In its statement, the Council noted that the report evaluates the performance of 67 economies around the world based on more than 330 indicators across four main pillars: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. Qatar has made notable progress in all these areas, moving up from 11th place in 2024 to 9th in 2025.

The most significant progress was in business efficiency, where Qatar jumped from 11th to 5th globally, due to ongoing reforms that enhance labor market flexibility, support entrepreneurship, and empower the private sector. The country also maintained its 7th-place global ranking in both economic performance and government efficiency, underscoring the strength of its fiscal policies, the efficiency of public institutions, and high governance standards, despite global economic challenges. In infrastructure, Qatar advanced three positions, demonstrating continued strategic investment in transportation, education, healthcare, and digital infrastructure.

Commenting on this achievement, His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Secretary-General of the National Planning Council, stated: “Qatar’s entry into the world’s top ten in the competitiveness report is a true testament to the clarity of our strategic vision, the strength of our institutions, and the integration of our national efforts. This progress reaffirms the state's unwavering commitment to building a dynamic, knowledge- and innovation-based economy that provides fair and sustainable opportunities for all. We remain committed to implementing the Third National Development Strategy in alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030, with a focus on enhancing competitiveness, achieving sustainable development, and improving quality of life for all residents.”

The report also highlighted Qatar’s remarkable improvement in several key indicators. Real GDP grew by 2.4%, and real GDP per capita increased by 0.82%. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index declined to just 1.07% year-on-year, and the intentional homicide rate dropped to only 0.07 per 100,000 people — the lowest in the world.

Additionally, Qatar ranked first globally in 14 sub-indicators, including youth unemployment rate, overall unemployment rate, consumption tax rate, personal income tax rate, homicide rate, expatriate workforce human capital, use of big data and analytics, effectiveness of corporate boards, banking and financial services, credit availability, need for economic and social reforms, environmental laws, technology development funding, and healthcare infrastructure. Qatar also secured second place in several other sub-indicators, reinforcing its leadership in various competitiveness dimensions.

These advancements yield tangible benefits for individuals and businesses alike. Qatar’s rise in global rankings strengthens investor confidence, increases foreign direct investment inflows, and expands job opportunities in advanced and future sectors. It fosters a business environment conducive to growth and innovation, supports national economic diversification, and enhances long-term stability — all central to the Third National Development Strategy.

This progress also underscores the effectiveness of Qatar’s data-driven policymaking, private sector empowerment, and performance- and transparency-based governance framework rooted in innovation — all of which solidify Qatar’s position as a regional and global leader in competitiveness and sustainable development.

It is worth noting that this marks Qatar’s 17th consecutive participation in the World Competitiveness Report, the result of ongoing cooperation between IMD and the National Planning Council