This year represents a milestone in the four-decade history of the Global Competitiveness Report series, with the introduction of the Global Competitiveness Index 4.0. Since 1979, when Klaus Schwab published the first edition, the series has been providing policy-makers and other stakeholders around the world with an annual assessment of the drivers of long-term growth.

At the heart of the competitiveness agenda is the recognition that economic growth is a core driver of human development. There is overwhelming evidence that growth has been the most effective way to lift people out of poverty and improve their quality of life. The importance and policy relevance of growth has been re-affirmed through the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 8 calls for “sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth” and sets an ambitious target of 7% growth for least-developed countries.