Dubai, UAE — August 2026 — Dubai Customs’ efficiency helped push the UAE up in global competitiveness rankings, with the emirate directly influencing seven trade-related indicators and partially affecting 62 others, a new report shows.
The 2026 competitiveness report, based on 30 global studies and 69 indicators, found the UAE’s top-10 percent global rankings rose from 27 to 37 indicators, the largest jump on record. The country led the Arab world in 57 indicators, or 82.6 percent of the total, maintaining or improving its position in 87 percent of all indicators, up from 84.7 percent the previous year.
The UAE ranked ninth globally in export trade for 2025 with $707 billion, according to World Trade Organization data, while Jebel Ali Port climbed from 49th to 26th place in the Container Port Performance Index.
Abdulla Bin Sunad, director general of Dubai Customs, said the department plays a pivotal role as a key enabler of trade and the economy, relying on an integrated work system that goes beyond traditional oversight of goods movement to support the economy’s competitiveness and accelerate its sustainable growth pace.
AI-driven risk management
Dubai Customs’ “Smart Risk Engine” uses AI to assess shipments and direct inspections, working alongside the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) initiative to analyse shipment data before arrival at ports. The customs security pillar rose from 37.5 percent to 50 percent, a 12.5-percentage-point increase, the highest relative improvement among the report’s categories.
Trade facilitation gains
The “Green Corridor” initiative provides fast-track clearance for compliant shipments, while the trade facilitation index climbed to 91.5 percent. The supporting services pillar held at 100 percent for a second consecutive year, supported by the “Mursal” digital platform.
