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Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

Switzerland and Finland retained their number-one and number-two ranks in the Global Knowledge Index (GKI). United States, Singapore, and Luxembourg joined the list to complete the top five nations in the index, revealed the results of the GKI 2019.

The UAE retained its position in the world’s top 20 countries, advancing seven positions in two years, ranking 18 on the global level and first among all the Arab states, while retaining its second place globally on the level of the economy for the third year.

The results were released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) during the inaugural ceremony of the sixth edition of the Knowledge Summit that took place in Dubai on Tuesday.

In addition to the GKI 2019, the UNDP and MBRF also launched the results of the 2019 edition of the Future of Knowledge Foresight Report. The report presents the latest findings of the ‘Future of Knowledge’ series, which uses an innovative knowledge measurement tool to analyse big data and evaluate the awareness of skills and technology, expanding the scope this year to cover 40 countries.

“The Knowledge Summit sets out the global vision and policies for sustainable development, to which the United Nations has developed an integrated approach, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is a roadmap for all societies to reach the well-being and progress of people in all areas,” said Jamal Bin Huwaireb, CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation. “Investing in the creation, dissemination and above all the use of knowledge about development processes is fundamental for achieving sustainable development,” said UNDP Acting Associate Administrator and Regional Director for Arab States Mourad Wahba. “From the Arab States region to the World, the UNDP-MBRF Knowledge Project came to shape a new and innovative vision for the realization of the 2030 Agenda.” Under the umbrella of the partnership between UNDP and MBRF and within the Knowledge Project, the 2019 edition of the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) was released, expanding its coverage this year to 136 countries. The GKI is a roadmap for the sustainable development of societies. It helps countries formulate forward-thinking strategies to support knowledge and promote it as a main component in building a stronger knowledge economy while ensuring sustainable development. The Future of Knowledge Foresight Report cautions policymakers that, in the absence of comprehensive re/upskilling and training opportunities, economies will risk stagnation and potential decline in the near future.