Dubai retains top Mena rank in global cities index

Dubai has retained its number one spot in the Middle East and North Africa and improved its position globally in a key index that reflects the self-reinforcing strength of the world’s leading global cities in 2022.

Dubai, which improved its global ranking to 22 from 23 in the Global Cities Index (GCI), has demonstrated growth in business activity, human capital and political engagement through 2022 while Abu Dhabi jumped a spot up on the global rankings owing to increased business activity and political engagement, according to the Index compiled by a global consulting firm Kearney.

The GCI’s rankings of the top cities in 2022 reflect the self-reinforcing strength of the world’s leading global cities. The top four cities on the list — New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo — are unchanged from 2021.

Dubai tops the region in Cultural Experience, which is one of the most fluid and difficult-to-quantify categories within the GCI. While Riyadh has recorded a 46-point increase in rankings, the highest jump in the category globally, the FIFA World Cup host city, Doha, noted a 17-point jump in the category, and held a firm lead in the Mena region in sporting events.

Current conditions

Kearney’s report looks at the current conditions of cities and the investments they are making in their futures in GCI and Global Cities Outlook (GCO). While the GCI is a picture of the present, the GCO is a forecast of the future. The GCI assesses how globally engaged cities are across five dimensions: business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, and political engagement. The GCO, on the other hand, examines how cities are creating the conditions for future status as major global players.

In terms of GCO, Abu Dhabi held its ranking in the top 10, landing at number nine globally. The outlook for Dubai also improved five places to land at number 11 overall, creeping closer to breaking into the top 10. The outlook for Doha has been overwhelmingly positive. The report suggests a 23-point jump bolstered by strong governance in the country, the highest jump in the category in the region.

Around the world, higher-than-expected inflation, the ongoing economic and political impact of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the escalating effects of climate change, have resulted in intensifying pressures on the world’s largest urban centres. The global management consultants noted that adaptation and proactive change are required to ensure cities remain capable of offering unique value to the companies and communities that call them home.