Kuwait ‘ranks’ 56th out of 189 nations in HDI issued by UNDP

Index measures 3 basic dimensions

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 27: Kuwait ranked 56th out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI) issued by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), reports Al-Anba daily.

According to the report, Kuwait is one of 58 countries with very high human development rate.

The index measures three basic dimensions of human development: long and healthy life, access to knowledge and decent standard of living. Long and healthy life is measured by life expectancy, while knowledge level is measured by years of education among the adult population – the average number of years of education in a lifetime among those aged 25 years and older. This includes access to learning and knowledge within the expected years of schooling for children of school-entry age, which is the total number of years of schooling a child of school-entry age can expect to receive if prevailing patterns of age-specific enrollment rates stay the same throughout the child’s life.

Measured

Standard of living is measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita expressed in constant 2011 international dollars converted using purchasing power parity (PPP) conversion rates.

From 1990 and 2017, Kuwait’s HDI value increased from 0.713 to 0.803 – an increase of 12.6 percent.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates emerged on top in the Arab world with a rank of 34th globally, followed by Qatar at 37th, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at 39th, Kingdom of Bahrain at 43rd and Sultanate of Oman at 48th.

In addition, Lebanon ranked 80th, Algeria at 85th, Jordan at 98th, Libya at 108th, Egypt at 115th, Palestine at 119th, Iraq at 120th and Morocco at 123rd.

Countries with low human development rate include Syria which landed on the 155th spot globally, Mauritania at 159th, Sudan at 167th and Yemen at 178th.

Topping the list were Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Germany; whereas countries with the lowest index in human development category were Niger, Central African Republic and South Sudan.

Secretary-General of Kuwait Society for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Moadh Failakawi has identified small enterprises as ventures with capital base lower than KD 250,000 and half a million dinars for medium enterprises, while projects with capital base exceeding half a million dinars are not classified in the equation, reports Al-Shahed daily.

In a televised interview on Al-Shahed Channel, Failakawi pointed out that Kuwait National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises Development rallies round small and medium projects and grant them loans based on necessary approvals.

He also said the law protects investors and innovators in securing industrial and agricultural lands from the National Fund for Enterprises Development, but the lands have yet to be released. He disclosed holding discussions with Public Authority for Industry officials who promised to avail of the lands, saying he has received promises without any seriousness.