Dubai tops Middle East and North Africa in 2024 Global City Index

Dubai Secures Top Spot in MENA and Climbs to 5th Globally in 2024 Global City Index

Dubai: According to Brand Finance’s ‘Global City Index 2024’ research, Dubai stands at the top of the Middle East and Africa rankings.

For the second year in a row, Dubai maintained its top ranking in the region, demonstrating its economic dominance in the area through outstanding performance in all key performance metrics and categories.

Dubai rose to fifth place globally in the index, which assessed 100 cities. With a score of 86 out of 100, Dubai outperformed major global cities such as Singapore, Los Angeles, Sydney, San Francisco and Amsterdam, which ranked sixth to tenth, respectively.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Dubai Governing Council, attributed Dubai’s remarkable success to the visionary leadership of His Highness. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Guided by the strategic framework of Dubai Plan 2030 and visionary economic and social agendas for the coming decade, the emirate is steadily moving up the global competitiveness rankings in all sectors. These achievements demonstrate the city’s commitment to achieving its transformative goals for the next phase, he said.

His Highness thanked all of the teams responsible for these accomplishments, emphasizing how their combined efforts shaped Dubai’s success narrative. “The international recognition inspires the teams in the emirate to step up their efforts to develop new strategic solutions for growth and excellence,” he said.

“We appreciate every effort that has helped Dubai secure its position as the best city in the Middle East and North Africa for the second year in a row. We celebrate its rise to the top five cities worldwide in a major international report comparing 100. Leading city brands worldwide, quality of life and work, investment, The report records people’s views on education and leisure opportunities.

Dubai is the world’s number one preferred investment destination and is at the forefront of future growth expectations. It is a city that will shape the future that people around the world want.”
Dubai has risen four places in this year’s index and is now ranked as the fifth best city brand in the world.

The city has made significant progress, ranking first globally for reputation (up from seventh in 2023), second and third behind Sydney and London. Dubai has seen impressive gains in terms of local job opportunities and remote jobs (24 to 4).

The city has surpassed conventional heavyweight London to be named the second-best city in the world. Due to its strategic position as a hub for international trade, its world-class logistics infrastructure, and its convenient location connecting the East and West, Dubai boasts the second largest economy in the world. Dubai is a popular destination for individuals, companies, and foreign investors as a result of these qualities.

Initiatives like the Dubai Future Foundation have helped Dubai rank highly for future growth as a center for start-ups and innovation. Dubai’s rating as the top investment destination is further cemented by its third-place ranking for favorable corporation taxation, which places it #1 overall.

Dubai has made significant strides in creating a high-quality educational environment, excelling in the ‘Great Private Schools’ index, the ‘Great Publicly Funded Schools’ index, and ‘Local and International Connectivity’ and ‘Ease of Access. visa’.

In the Middle East and North Africa, Dubai leads in all key performance indicators and categories, excelling in factors such as local and remote work, investment, living, leisure, education and tourism.