The UAE has retained the top spot in an international entrepreneurship league table for the fourth year in a row, outperforming major economies such as the US, the UK and South Korea.
The Emirates was recognised for cementing its status as a world-leading business hub in The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (Gem) Report 2024/25.
The country placed first in Gem's National Entrepreneurship Context Index, which measures the quality of a nation's entrepreneurial environment across 13 key indicators. The report also ranked the UAE as the best country for small and medium-sized enterprises, among the 56 economies assessed this year.
The report stated that the UAE “maintains a strong entrepreneurial landscape”, noting that it secured first place in 11 of the 13 categories. It found that the UAE excelled in areas such as entrepreneurial finance, ease of access to funding, commercial and professional infrastructure and its efforts to ease regulatory constraints on those seeking to do business in the country.
Government policies promoting entrepreneurship, including education programmes for young people, were also praised.
Alia Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, said the achievement was testament to the UAE's forward-looking strategy to build an integrated entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprise ecosystem, state news agency Wam reported. She said the top ranking demonstrated the “UAE’s commitment to providing an attractive and impactful entrepreneurship climate”.
Investing in the future
Ms Al Mazrouei, who was appointed to her role in July, has said that Emiratis are at the heart of the country's bold business ambitions.
“Entrepreneurship in the UAE is a broad and inclusive concept,” said Ms Al Mazrouei. “It’s not confined to one definition, it encompasses everything. Whether you’re in agriculture, technology, or creative industries, you’re an entrepreneur. And it always starts with passion,” she told The National in December.
According to the Ministry of Economy, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for about 94 per cent of companies in the UAE and employ 86 per cent of the national workforce.
The UAE not only wants to develop its own entrepreneurs but remains committed to attracting the brightest business minds from around the world to invest in the country.
Under the Ministry of Economy's National Agenda for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, the country aims to be the world's leading entrepreneurial nation by 2031 and be home to 10 unicorn start-ups – private companies with a valuation exceeding $1 billion – by the same year.
Ms Al Mazrouei highlighted the transformative impact of a move to allow full foreign ownership of onshore companies, which came into force in June 2021. “After we introduced this policy, the number of business licences issued jumped from 600,000 to one million,” she said at the time.
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
Kill%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nikhil%20Nagesh%20Bhat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Lakshya%2C%20Tanya%20Maniktala%2C%20Ashish%20Vidyarthi%2C%20Harsh%20Chhaya%2C%20Raghav%20Juyal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
DUNE%3A%20PART%20TWO
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Denis%20Villeneuve%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Timothee%20Chamalet%2C%20Zendaya%2C%20Austin%20Butler%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
