The report showed that the Kingdom is the only country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to feature among the top 20 regarding economic freedom internationally, with an overall score of Bahrain’s overall score is 75.2 points, 2.5 points below last year’s index.
The Index measures economic freedom in 10 specific categories i.e. labour freedom, business freedom, trade freedom, fiscal freedom, government spending, monetary freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom, property rights and freedom from corruption.
Scores in these categories are averaged to create an overall score. The report indicated that Bahrain has moved towards more reforms and transparency since 2011 and continues to be a major financial hub, adding that the country’s competitive and advanced legal framework have enhanced its openness on world trade. Concerning the other GCC countries, Qatar ranked 25th, UAE 35th, Oman 47th, Kuwait 71st and Saudi Arabia 74th.
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