The UAE is viewed as the world’s most “strong and stable economy”, boosting its standing in the leading global soft power ranking, it was revealed on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia is also enjoying “stronger perceptions” after vast investment in football and tourism.
Israel lost ground in the annual “soft power” ranking, which measures the strength of a nation’s brand and its ability to influence others by persuasion rather than force of arms.
Gulf nations are the biggest climbers since the index, unveiled in London on Thursday, was launched in 2020 by consultancy Brand Finance.
The UAE came 10th for the second year in a row in an expanded list now covering all 193 UN members. The US remained top.
"Global appreciation for the UAE is strengthening every day," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who thanked government officials for their work to develop the nation.
"Thousands of work teams in all fields continue day and night to achieve all of this. Our appreciation to everyone."
The UAE received a 10/10 score for “strong and stable economy”, ranking first in that category, and scored highly for future growth potential and generosity. Its score of 59.7 out of 100 was up compared to last year.
In a separate ranking of which countries could most be recommended as a place to invest, work, study, visit or buy products, the UAE was the strongest Middle East performer on all five counts.
"Being a strong and stable economy is the most important factor," said Brand Finance's chief executive David Haigh. "It's a very important measure in terms of reputation and influence."
Analysts also highlighted the UAE’s hosting of the Cop28 climate talks last year, which put it in a global spotlight.
Saudi Arabia rose one place to 18th and is “seeing stronger perceptions following significant investments in tourism and football”, the report found.
Qatar was 21st and Turkey 25th, with Ankara credited with using its soft power to try to mediate in regional conflicts.
The rising soft power of Gulf nations reflects higher scores in the ‘influence and reputation’, ‘international relations’ and ‘business and trade’ categories.
It follows “conscious efforts to grow their soft power through nation branding projects, diplomatic initiatives and by hosting major events”, analysts said.
At a time of conflict and tense international relations, a robust economy is of ever greater value to a country’s brand, the report found.
“This trend explains the continued dominance of the world’s largest economies like the US and China, as well as smaller developed economies like Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates at the top of the ranking,” it said.
Hard and soft power
Nations wielding hard military might saw a drop in their soft power. Russia slipped three places to 16th, while Israel has fallen five spots to 32nd, as the wars of Ukraine and Gaza continue.
The ranking shows the importance of a “strategic approach to nation branding” where defence spending tends to have more priority, said Mr Haigh.
“While global hard power expenditure was a record $2.2 trillion in 2023 and expected to rise in 2024, we estimate that the combined spending by nation brands on communications is less than $1 billion,” he said.
The rankings are based on a survey of about 170,000 people from more than 100 countries.
The US and Britain held their positions as the top two, while China jumped to third.
American standing has recovered during Joe Biden’s presidency after a “serious erosion” in Donald Trump’s term, Mr Haigh said.
The US is top of the league on nine counts, including its influence on science and entertainment, but is viewed as less safe and friendly than before.
November’s expected Trump-Biden rematch “will be momentous in terms of future direction for the US and how the nation is perceived globally”, Mr Haigh said.
Japan stayed fourth while China’s rise pushed Germany down to fifth, with economic turmoil damaging the status of Europe’s richest country.
David Lammy, Britain’s shadow foreign secretary, told delegates that “this is the time to invest in soft power” as he criticised the UK government for making cuts to the BBC, the British Council and development aid.
“I lament where the UK finds itself at this point in time. I do want to see Britain reconnected once more with the global community,” he said.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
OPTA'S PREDICTED TABLE
1. Liverpool 101 points
2. Manchester City 80
3. Leicester 67
4. Chelsea 63
5. Manchester United 61
6. Tottenham 58
7. Wolves 56
8. Arsenal 56
9. Sheffield United 55
10. Everton 50
11. Burnley 49
12. Crystal Palace 49
13. Newcastle 46
14. Southampton 44
15. West Ham 39
16. Brighton 37
17. Watford 36
18. Bournemouth 36
19. Aston Villa 32
20. Norwich City 29
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
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
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Zayed Sustainability Prize
RACE CARD
4pm Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m
5.10pm Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m
