MUSCAT: Gulf Cooperation Council countries outperformed the global average in the 2026 Economic Freedom Index, with the bloc posting an average score of 66.9 against a world average of 59.9, according to data released by the GCC Statistical Centre. The figures pointed to stronger economic openness and a comparatively favorable business environment across the six-member bloc, whose economies continued to score above global benchmarks in the latest edition of the index.
The GCC Statistical Centre said all six member states either improved their scores or held them steady from the 2025 edition, with only limited variation across the region. It said the results reflected continuity in reforms and policies aimed at supporting growth, while GCC countries also ranked among the top seven economies in the Arab region. The bloc includes the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, all of which met or exceeded the global average in the 2026 report.
Country data in the index showed the United Arab Emirates led the GCC with a score of 71.9, followed by Qatar at 70.2 and Oman at 68.5. Bahrain scored 65.7, Saudi Arabia 65.4 and Kuwait 59.9. That placed the UAE 23rd globally, Qatar 31st and Oman 39th, while Bahrain ranked 57th, Saudi Arabia 59th and Kuwait 90th among the economies graded in the annual study.
GCC regional standings
Oman recorded the biggest year-on-year improvement within the GCC, climbing 19 places from 58th in the 2025 index to 39th in the 2026 edition. The UAE remained the highest ranked Gulf economy and held first place in the Middle East and North Africa region, while Qatar stayed second regionally. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia remained in the middle of the regional table, and Kuwait was the only GCC member to sit just below the 60-point threshold used for a moderately free rating.
The 2026 results placed the UAE and Qatar in the index’s mostly free category, while Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were classified as moderately free. Kuwait, with a score of 59.9, was categorized as mostly unfree despite matching the global average. Heritage Foundation data showed the UAE improved by 0.3 point from a year earlier, Saudi Arabia by 1.0 point and Oman by 3.1 points, while Qatar and Kuwait were unchanged and Bahrain edged up from 65.6 to 65.7.
Index methodology
The Heritage Foundation, which compiles the index, said 176 economies were graded in the 2026 edition and that the report assessed economic policy developments and conditions across 184 sovereign countries. Scores are calculated on a 0 to 100 scale using 12 indicators grouped under four broad pillars: rule of law, government size, regulatory efficiency and market openness. The foundation said the 2026 global average rose to 59.9 from 59.7 a year earlier, but remained well below the GCC’s collective score.
For the GCC, the latest ranking added to a series of regional indicators showing Gulf economies performing above global averages on selected measures tied to openness and competitiveness. The index results also highlighted how closely Gulf economies clustered near or above the 60-point line that separates moderately free economies from lower ranked peers in the annual table, reinforcing the bloc’s standing in the Arab region. – By Content Syndication Services.