The Global Knowledge Index (GKI) 2024, a collaboration between the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Knowledge, has been released. Morocco, which ranked 92nd in 2023, has dropped to 98th out of 141 countries. The GKI 2024 awarded Morocco a score of 42.8 points, below the global average of 47.8 points, reflecting weak performance in key sectors, particularly knowledge infrastructure. The index highlights several strengths in Morocco's knowledge infrastructure, such as a high proportion of researchers in higher education (4th), indicating strong academic integration. Industrial design applications have shown marked improvement (6th), while public spending on primary (18th) and secondary (6th) education reflects a notable commitment to the education sector. Morocco has also seen progress in primary (26th) and secondary (55th) school enrollment rates. However, significant challenges persist. The index underscores high unemployment among individuals with advanced university degrees (138th) and insufficient usable scientific research relative to the number of higher education students (45th). In governance, Morocco improved to 84th place, ahead of Egypt, which ranked 119th. The annual index also emphasized the urgent need to strengthen vital sectors such as education, technology, and the economy in certain Arab countries, including Palestine, Morocco, and Mauritania. The GKI 2024 assessed 11 Arab countries, with the United Arab Emirates leading the Arab world, ranking 26th globally with a score of 60.9 points. Qatar followed, ranking 39th with 55.5 points, and Saudi Arabia placed third among Arab countries and 41st globally with 54.8 points. Lebanon, a newcomer to the GKI, ranked fifth in the Arab world and 81st globally with a score of 45.4 points. Launched in 2017, the Global Knowledge Index is published annually, covering 141 countries worldwide.
