QATAR ranks first among Arab countries and 23rd all over the world in the Global Information Technology Report 2013, released by the World Economic Forum on Wednesday. The list includes 144 nations from around the world.

Qatar’s elevated rank reflects the growing role of information and communication technology (ICT) to lead the country towards a competitive knowledge-based economy driven by excellence and innovation.

The report indicates that the outstanding economic performance of countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates was the result of governmental policies aimed at supporting economic diversification and building strong economies based on knowledge-based industries.

The 12th Global Information Technology Report sheds light on the new digital gap that exists in spite of the efforts over the past decade to improve ICT infrastructure in developing countries and points how some governments harness ICTs in order to provide competitiveness and decent life for their nations.