The Gulf States are among the top 30 best countries to retire in, according to new research. The third annual Natixis Global Retirement Index ranks countries based on indicators such as health, income per capita, economic stability and quality of life to determine which offer the best prospects for retirees, according to arabianbusiness.com. Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) all featured in the top 30 of 150 countries. Qatar ranked 21st, above European countries, including the U.K. and Malta, the UAE ranked 25th, and Kuwait came in at 26th. Turkey ranked 59th on the list.
Qatar and Kuwait were also among the top three biggest movers in 2015, rising more than 10 places in the index. Qatar leapt from 31st to 21st, and Kuwait from 40th to 26th, as a result of "solid management of the recovering financial sector in the Middle East," the report said. Japan also gained 10 places from 27th to 17th, reportedly as a result of improvements in its health ranking.
The UAE's comparatively high ranking can be attributed to material wellbeing, a high level of income per capita and high levels of employment, noted Terry Mellish, head of global institutional services and Middle East North Africa business at Natixis. "It is worth noting that these are attributes shared by all of the report's top five - Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Iceland and the Netherlands."
The 2015 Global Retirement Index, topped by Switzerland, was compiled by asset management firm Natixis and ranks 150 nations. The U.S. came in 19th and the U.K. 22nd. Mellish said, "While these figures are generally positive, there is a much greater emphasis [than in previous years] on individuals across the globe, including the Middle East, to do more to provide for themselves in order to maintain standard of living in retirement.
"By focusing on factors within their control, such as financial planning, setting goals and engaging more with their finances, investors will be better positioned to ensure their own retirement security."
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
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