UAE ranked tenth on Global Soft Power Index
The United Arab Emirates was able to secure a special place in the Global Soft Power Index 2023, ranking tenth in the index prepared by Brand Finance International, which was recently announced during the annual conference held in London. A number of officials from around the world attended the conference. The United Arab Emirates is the only country in the region on the list of the top ten.
The United States topped the list of top 10 countries, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, France, Canada, Switzerland, Italy and the United Arab Emirates.
According to the report, UAE brands in the banking, oil and gas sectors have witnessed significant growth recently, with positive ratings being the highest in several sectors, including ADNOC, the highest-value brand in the UAE at $14.2 billion.
In its report, the Global Corporation listed the UAE’s top 50 brands in terms of value and strength, tracking the development of these companies and their opportunities for future investments. The index’s most notable successes include Adnock, whose investments in renewable energy, Etisalat, Abu Dhabi I Bank, Emirates Airlines, and Dubai Ports World, whose brand has jumped by up to 15%.
The poll that the index relied on included 110,000 people from 121 countries, with eight main points; These are: Governance, International Relations, Business, Information and Communication, People and Values, Education and Science, and Positive Impact.
These eight sub-indicators showed that the UAE made qualitative leaps, leading it to a total of five positions, which came in tenth place in the 2023 report, up from 15th in 2022.
One of the sub-indicators in which the UAE has advanced is “Global Appreciation for State Leaders”, which rose from tenth last year to eighth this year. It was ranked ninth in the world in the “Impact on Diplomatic Circles” index, a result of UAE diplomatic efforts.
Multiple indicators
“The source of the UAE’s strength is its internal development policies and balanced foreign policies,” Dr. Muhammad Baharon, director of the Dubai Center for Policy Research, told Kioppost. “Although the UAE’s position in the index is a natural result of its policies, the high turnout to the country as a seat of investment and innovation, and the quality of life, is the most important indicator and a true reflection of that soft power.” “On the other hand, we can measure the impact of soft power on foreign policy, and we have seen that the UAE’s de-escalation policies, building regional and international cooperation frameworks, and relying on stimulus and cooperation tools are part of that soft power,” Baharon added.
The UAE has made significant progress in the Generous Giving Index, ranking third in the world in 2023, up from 10th in 2022. “This success is expected in light of the UAE’s efforts to enhance its soft power in several areas, most notably the cultural field, where it hosts international events, summits and meetings, including the anticipated hosting of the COP28 Climate Summit,” Hala Al-Hafnawi, a political sociology researcher, told The Cuppost. “The UAE has also succeeded in becoming the headquarters of branches of the most important international universities and has become a destination for students from all over the world.”
“The UAE is working in several other areas where it has left real and important marks, including promoting tolerance between religions, which is something the state is making a lot of efforts to do,” al-Hafnawi said. “It applies to its territory, which has about 200 nationalities, without any problems. “The country is also taking permanent initiatives in the field of humanitarian work worldwide, with UAE foreign aid recording 13 billion dirhams between the beginning of 2021 and last August, a significant number that reflects the state’s belief in the importance of this role.”
The UAE was one of the first countries to provide aid to earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey with more than US$100 million, including a portion allocated for humanitarian projects under reconstruction plans, at a time when it received hundreds of injured people for treatment on its territory.”
