Syria ranked only 108th in the world in the latest edition of the Enabling Trade Index of the World Economic Forum.

The ETI measures the ease of trading with Syria by giving scores to 132 countries around the world on a list of 47 indicators ranging from the “Quality of air transport infrastructure,” to the “Timeliness of shipments in reaching destination” through the “Burden of customs procedures.”

The World Economic Forum (WEF) defines this index as measuring “the extent to which individual economies have developed institutions, policies, and services facilitating the free flow of goods over borders and to destination”

In the previous edition of the index in 2010 Syria ranked 104th with a score of 3.5 out of scale running from 1 to 7 – from a score of 3.47 this edition– although seven countries were added this year, including three that rank better than Syria – Rwanda, Moldova and Lebanon.

The data collected in order to compile the index and the accompanying report include an annual Executive Opinion Survey conducted by the WEF and primary data provided by a host of international organisations such as the Global Express Association (GEA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Bank, the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Out of the four broad areas of the index, Syria ranks best in the “Business Environment” – 44th in the world -, followed by “Transport & communications infrastructure” – 96th in the world -, Border administration – 117th – and “Market access” – 122nd.

These areas are divided into nine “pillars”, which themselves include several sub-indicators - 47 in total make up the index.

Across the MENA Region Syria ranks 13th out of 17 countries. The UAE ranks first, followed by Oman and Saudi Arabia, while Mauritania ranks last. Across the globe, Singapore ranks first followed by Hong-Kong and Denmark, while Chad ranks last.