Corruption and Governance Rankings
GCC CPI Rankings (Transparency International, 2024 estimates):
| Country | CPI Score | Global Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | ~71 | ~24 | Stable |
| Qatar | ~58 | ~40 | Stable |
| Saudi Arabia | ~53 | ~52 | Improving |
| Oman | ~52 | ~50 | Strong improvement |
| Bahrain | ~44 | ~66 | Declining |
| Kuwait | ~42 | ~71 | Declining |
Analysis
Oman has made the most significant CPI improvement of any GCC state in recent years, climbing approximately 20 places since 2020. This reflects tangible institutional reforms including the establishment of specialised commercial courts, anti-corruption legislation enacted under Sultan Haitham’s administration, and improved public procurement transparency. Oman’s trajectory, if sustained, positions it to converge with Saudi Arabia and potentially Qatar within the Vision 2040 timeframe.
The UAE maintains a commanding lead on governance quality within the GCC, with a CPI score approximately 20 points above Oman. This gap reflects the UAE’s longer track record of institutional development, more sophisticated regulatory frameworks, and deeper integration with international compliance standards. Closing this gap is a multi-decade endeavour that requires sustained judicial reform, whistleblower protection, and beneficial ownership transparency.
Oman’s Position in Context
Understanding Oman’s governance positioning within the GCC peer group is essential for:
- Investors: Governance quality directly affects country risk premiums, contract enforcement predictability, and regulatory stability
- Policymakers: Identifying specific institutional reform areas where Oman trails best-practice GCC peers
- Analysts: Assessing whether Vision 2040’s governance pillar targets are achievable given the rate of institutional improvement
Structural Drivers
Oman’s governance improvement has been driven by three reinforcing dynamics. First, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq’s administration has prioritised institutional modernisation as a precondition for economic diversification — the recognition that foreign investment requires predictable regulatory environments. Second, fiscal pressure has created urgency around public expenditure efficiency, reducing tolerance for corruption-related waste. Third, Oman’s accession to international anti-corruption frameworks has embedded external accountability mechanisms into domestic governance.
The remaining gap to the UAE and Qatar reflects structural factors including judicial system capacity, regulatory enforcement consistency across governorates, and the depth of e-government systems that reduce discretionary decision-making.
This is a Layer 2 premium benchmarking page.