Gulf In Focus - GULF STATES - ECONOMICS and FINANCE - UAE's digital strength clicks.

The UAE jumped five places to 12th position in the IMD World Global Digital Competitiveness rankings, thanks to improvements in capital availability and supportive regulation for technology development, helping the nation maintain its top spot in the Arab world.

Importantly, the UAE registered improvement in all key factors - knowledge, technology and future readiness. Almost all sub-factors saw an improvement as well, with the UAE proving several overall strength points landing first in international experience, immigration laws, wireless broadband, use of big data and analytics, agility of companies, public-private partnerships and business opportunities, according to IMD World's latest data released on Thursday.

Dr Jose Caballero, senior economist at the IMD World Competitiveness Center, said the UAE improved in all digital factors. "At the sub-factor level, it improves in training and education, regulatory framework, capital, technological framework, adaptive attitudes and it integration. At the indicator level, the largest improvements are in the availability of digital/technological skills, prioritisation of employee training, the easiness of starting a business, protection of...