Qatar Rises in Global Innovation and E-Government Rankings

Qatar has registered significant advances in two leading global benchmarks for innovation and digital governance. In the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII), Qatar climbed to 49th place, while in the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2024, it rose from 78th to 53rd among 193 countries.

Global Innovation Index 2024 Performance

• Ranking and Trend: Qatar secured 49th position out of 133 economies in the GII 2024, improving from 50th in 2023 and up from 70th in 2020.
• Score: The country’s innovation score stood at 32.90 points in 2024, slightly below its 33.40-point tally in 2023, yet sufficient to lift its overall rank.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

• Top-performing areas: Institutions (20th), Infrastructure (39th) and Human Capital & Research (48th) remain Qatar’s strongest pillars.
• Areas for improvement: Knowledge & Technology Outputs (82nd), Business Sophistication (68th) and Creative Outputs (61st) trail the national average, indicating scope to translate investments into marketable innovations .

E-Government Development Index 2024 Performance

• Rank Jump: Qatar advanced 25 places in the EGDI, moving from 78th to 53rd among 193 UN member states.
• Index Components: The composite EGDI assesses Online Service delivery, Telecommunication Infrastructure and Human Capital; Qatar’s substantial gains reflect upgrades in e-services, broadband connectivity and digital literacy initiatives.

Key Drivers of Progress

• Institutional and Regulatory Reforms: Continued enhancements in policy stability, ICT regulation and public–private coordination have strengthened the institutional foundation for innovation and e-government.
• Infrastructure Investments: Expansion of broadband networks, 5G rollout and smart city platforms in Doha and other municipalities have underpinned both higher GII infrastructure scores and improved EGDI connectivity metrics.
• Human Capital Development: Expansion of STEM education programmes, research grants and international partnerships has bolstered Qatar’s capacity to generate and adopt new technologies.

Implications for Qatar’s Digital Agenda

These ranking improvements align with Qatar National Vision 2030, which prioritises a diversified, knowledge-based economy and citizen-centric e-services. Enhanced global standings are expected to attract foreign investment, spur startup activity and accelerate public sector digitisation.

Qatar’s ascent in the 2024 Global Innovation Index and the UN E-Government Development Index marks a pivotal milestone in its transformation into a regional innovation hub. Sustained focus on converting institutional and infrastructure strengths into robust innovation outputs and seamless e-government services will be key to maintaining this upward trajectory.