Chart of the week: UAE leads Middle East in Global Soft Power Index

The UAE has secured the top regional spot among Middle Eastern nations in the 2025 Global Soft Power Index. The UAE has steadily climbed the rankings since the index’s inception in 2020, which evaluates all 193 UN member states based on topics such as familiarity, education, influence and other brand metrics.

The country’s strong reputation, international relations and trade policies have solidified its position as a global leader in soft power and the leading country in the Middle East. Our chart this week plots the global soft power index score against one of the Index's key performance indicators 'reputation'. The full methodology and breakdown of the score can be found on the BrandFinace site.

A key contributor to the UAE’s high ranking is its pro-business environment. The UAE's National Brand also significantly increased in value from $1 trillion to $1.22 trillion this year. The nation also ranks second globally for being ‘easy to do business in and with’ and features in the top 10 for ‘future growth potential’ and a ‘strong and stable economy.’ Fiscal resilience, a favourable investment climate, and continuing economic diversification efforts underpin these strengths.

While Middle Eastern nations have made progress in soft power, recent years have shown a slowdown, with many regional countries slipping in rankings. The UAE, however, remains the exception, holding on to its 10th-place position, bolstered by strong perceptions in business and trade, international relations, and overall Influence.

Global soft power leaders

The US retains its top position in the Global Soft Power Index, scoring 79.5 out of 100. Its leading indicators remain familiarity and influence and the top three soft power pillars: international relations, education and science, and media and communications. However, its overall score has stagnated due to internal political tensions and the recent polarising presidential campaign. Reflecting these challenges, the US’s reputation ranking has dropped to 15th globally, alongside declines in governance (10th) and people & values (36th).

Meanwhile, China has risen to second place with a score of 72.8, overtaking the UK for the first time. This improvement stems from strategic efforts to bolster its global image, including belt and road infrastructure projects, a focus on sustainable development, stronger product brands, and post-pandemic reopening initiatives. Significant gains across six of the eight soft power pillars have propelled China to its highest ranking.