Saturday, May 02, 2026

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Gulf countries outperform global average in 2026 Index of Economic Freedom

Gulf Cooperation Council countries continued to improve their performance in the 2026 Index of Economic Freedom, surpassing the global average in a sign of stronger economic openness and a more favourable business environment.

Oman News Agency

info@thearabianstories.com

Saturday, May 2, 2026

MUSCAT : Data released by the Statistical Centre of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf showed that the GCC’s average score reached 66.9 points, compared to the global average of 59.9 points — a gap of nearly seven points.

The data indicated that all GCC countries recorded either improvement or stability in their scores between 2025 and 2026, with only limited variation among them, reflecting the continued implementation of economic reforms and pro-growth policies.

At the Arab level, GCC countries ranked among the top seven, reinforcing their position as some of the most economically open markets in the region.

The index is based on four main pillars: rule of law, government size, regulatory efficiency, and market openness. It evaluates 184 countries using 12 sub-indicators.

The improvement in economic freedom is expected to support foreign investment inflows, stimulate growth, create jobs, enhance competitiveness, improve living standards, reduce corruption, and strengthen financial market stability.

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