Saudi Arabia has reached a milestone by advancing 14 positions to rank 13th globally in the Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Index, according to the 2025 World Competitiveness Yearbook—a crucial global competitiveness benchmark monitored by the National Competitiveness Center in collaboration with relevant government entities—issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) through its World Competitiveness Center.
This advancement reflects the efforts led by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP). They are steering and developing the enforcement ecosystem for intellectual property rights (IPR). Their goal is to enhance its effectiveness. The Kingdom improved its ranking from 27th in 2024 to 13th out of 69 countries in the current edition, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Promoting transparency and stakeholder engagement
This achievement is driven by Saudi Arabia’s extensive efforts to enhance IPR enforcement. These efforts are focused both domestically and internationally. They aim to improve effectiveness across institutional and judicial levels. Groundbreaking national initiatives have emerged in Saudi Arabia, including the Respect Council, the Standing Enforcement Committee, and the Intellectual Property Respect Officer. These initiatives serve as key governance models that promote coordination among stakeholders. Additionally, the establishment of a specialized public prosecution unit for IPR cases has bolstered the litigation system and expedited judicial procedures.
Key factors contributing to this progress include comprehensive awareness campaigns. These campaigns cover both field and digital enforcement. They also promote transparency and stakeholder engagement through regular meetings with rights holders. Additionally, there is expanded coordination between government bodies and the private sector.
The World Competitiveness Yearbook is acknowledged as an international benchmark for global economic competitiveness. It features over 300 sub-indicators and evaluates countries based on four main pillars: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure.
