How magnetic are our countries? Soft power has not been – understandably – at the top of our minds during the pandemic. But it has not gone away. This will be a defining period for national identities, as many of us are more attuned to what is happening globally and have more time to absorb it.
The reputation of nations has been put under the microscope. Were they efficient in responding? How did their populations react? Were they led by reason or emotion? What did they prioritise in the response? All of that will resonate for years in the league tables of soft power. There will be winners and losers. China's positioning will be especially interesting to watch.
I think there are fundamental ways that soft power will be changed by the 2020 pandemic.
The virus has in many ways reinforced our perception of national brands. Some governments were secretive and authoritarian, as expected.
Others proved unwilling or unable to move quickly to build consensus for social distancing or lockdowns.
But where it will have most impact will be when countries defied national stereotypes: are some countries as competent as they and the world think? And what about countries like Jordan, Vietnam and New Zealand that did much better than expected?
Hard power changes will also inevitably have a knock on impact on smart power. Where economic crashes as a result of Covid-19 are more severe, they will both damage national reputations and mean that there is less resource for managing the national brand.
Are we going to want to spend holidays and working lives, time and money in places with more or less dense populations?
Covid-19 will also change which aspects of national magnetism matter most. In the future we are more likely to head to places that have strong, fair, efficient health systems and a decent broadband connection.
But are we going to want to spend holidays and working lives, time and money in places with more or less dense populations? Will future migration be towards or away from freedom? Will we want to move towards or away from countries that will choose to tax hard to protect jobs during the next virus?
And will as many countries still even want to be magnetic? Some national distancing will remain even once the social distancing is over. America under President Trump has often been deliberately repellant, making it harder for citizens of Muslim or African countries to visit. The virus might become another weapon in the armoury of those who believe that the answer to the 21st century is to build a higher wall.
Ironically, a pandemic that exposes the weakness of systems for international co-operation could therefore reinforce nationalism, isolationism and populism. Countries may become more autarkic, seeking to reduce dependence on international trade.
They will rethink the supply chains that become so fragile in a pandemic. And they will have to divert resources from international to national issues.
Some aspects of soft power have become more important during the crisis, especially education and culture. Where did people gravitate towards for learning resource and methodology (and ultimately credible assessment)? Which films and music dominated our additional time online? These trends will influence our perception of national brands.
It is too soon to say whether trust in governments will rise or fall in the longer term. But the role of individual leaders will be more influential than before in how we rate countries in the immediate term.
Many leaders, with Jacinda Ardern the best example, are rising to the challenge with empathy, reason and solidarity. Clearly some are not, either burying their heads in the sand, challenging science, communicating erratically or scapegoating. One leader is even doing all four.
The craft of promoting our countries has also been fundamentally changed. One top diplomat this week told staff that working practices would never return to what they were. 'Covideoconferencing' and 'Covidiplomacy' have shown officials that they can work effectively in more agile and technology-backed ways.
Some countries have started to sell their tourism as an online experience. This may continue even when we can once again sip a coffee in a Paris cafe or climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Another key driver of national credibility is the way that states are perceived to act in the world. Post Covid-19, there are new vacancies for countries to show the positive influence that drives up soft power influence.
Once diplomacy comes back properly, those who coped best with the virus might have more bandwidth to engage, gaining soft power. Those most dependent on global trading network will need to be more energetic than before.
The crisis has shown that there is such a thing as global society. There are two crucial moments this year that have a vacancy for leadership: the 75th anniversary of the UN and the G20 Summit in Riyadh in November. Maybe Covid-19 could become the biggest boost for international solidarity since the Second World War. But which countries will step up?
Finally, as the UAE has shown, humanitarian diplomacy – or in this case, health diplomacy – has become much more important as a way of demonstrating a country's values. Sending swift, much needed health supplies is a great way to demonstrate both solidarity and efficiency.
In the last decade, countries have realised the benefit of becoming soft power superpowers, and have spent more time and energy shifting the way the world sees them. When we emerge after Covid-19, we will discover that this landscape – like so many others – will have dramatically changed. There is all to play for.
Tom Fletcher CMG is a former UK Ambassador, visiting professor at NYU and the Emirates Diplomatic Academy and the author of ‘The Naked Diplomat’
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The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The stats: 2017 Jaguar XJ
Price, base / as tested Dh326,700 / Dh342,700
Engine 3.0L V6
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 340hp @ 6,000pm
Torque 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.1L / 100km
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Result
Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2
Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)
RESULTS
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Brraq, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Taamol, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Eqtiraan, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Soft Whisper, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Etisalat, Sando Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
More from Neighbourhood Watch
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series
1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane
2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth
4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
