世界经济论坛-2018年阿拉伯世界竞争力报告（英文）-2018.8-149页-9mb

The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2018 Summary

Core Content

The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2018 is a collaborative effort by the World Economic Forum (WEF), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the World Bank, aimed at analyzing the competitiveness of the Arab world and providing policy guidance to foster economic progress. The report is part of the WEF's Future of Economic Progress System Initiative and highlights the region's transition from a resource-based model to a more diversified and innovative economy.

Main Views and Key Points

• The Arab world is at a critical juncture, with the need for a new social contract that promotes a competitive and open economy, especially to address youth unemployment and inequality.
• The Fourth Industrial Revolution presents new opportunities for growth, but the region must leverage these through entrepreneurship and economic diversification.
• The report emphasizes the importance of reforms in institutional frameworks, macroeconomic policies, and the business environment to support a dynamic private sector.
• The private sector is seen as a key driver for job creation and economic transformation, especially in a context of global integration and technological change.
• The report includes country profiles for 12 Arab economies, offering a detailed analysis of their competitiveness and identifying areas for improvement.

Key Findings

Competitiveness Landscape

• The aggregate competitiveness of the Arab world has not significantly improved over the past decade according to the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI).
• The Arab world is less competitive than East Asia and Europe, but more competitive than Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.
• Some Arab countries, such as the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, are among the most competitive in the world, while others like Iraq, Libya, and Syria are affected by fragility and conflict, making data collection difficult.

Trends and Challenges

• Youth unemployment is a major concern, with high rates and low labor force participation among women.
• Global trends such as income inequality, social polarization, and cyber threats are impacting the Arab world.
• Climate change is increasing concerns about water scarcity in countries like Jordan and Qatar.
• The region's economic structure is a source of specific risks, such as overreliance on natural resources and lack of diversification.

Competitiveness Gaps

• The competitiveness gap between resource-rich and resource-poor countries has widened in some areas, such as the macroeconomic environment and labor market efficiency.
• While infrastructure and ICT connectivity have improved, these have not translated into innovation or business sophistication.
• Resource-rich countries face challenges in innovation, talent development, and private-sector competition.
• Resource-poor economies have seen stagnation in performance, with low labor force participation and high skill mismatches.

Areas for Improvement

Infrastructure and Connectivity

• The Arab world has made significant progress in infrastructure development, especially in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
• The total value of infrastructure projects in the GCC in 2017 was US$2.7 trillion.

Education and Training

• Higher education and training are among the areas where the Arab world lags behind the OECD.
• Improvements in primary education and health have been noted, but they are not sufficient to drive innovation and economic diversification.

Innovation and Technology Readiness

• The Arab world is lagging in innovation and technological readiness, which are key to future competitiveness.
• Digital transformation and technological adoption are critical for enhancing productivity and private-sector growth.

Business Environment

• A more enabling business environment is necessary to attract private-sector investment and support MSMEs.
• Regulatory reforms, trade openness, and financial sector development are essential for economic diversification and growth.

Call to Action

• The report calls for immediate action to improve competitiveness and economic progress.
• It stresses the need for collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors to create a new social contract based on opportunity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
• Government reforms are necessary to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of the Arab youth and to build a more inclusive and prosperous future for the region.

Conclusion

The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2018 serves as a diagnostic tool for understanding the current state of competitiveness in the region and outlines a vision for the future. It highlights the need for policy changes, investment in education and technology, and economic diversification to ensure sustainable growth and shared prosperity in the Arab world.