The UAE was named the most powerful passport in the GCC on Thursday, a product of the significant growth in the number of countries that Emiratis are able to visit without a visa.
The government accepted a certificate bestowed by the passport index during a ceremony.
Developed by Arton Capital, the advisor for residence and citizenship, the index ranks national passports by the cross-border access they bring, assigning a “visa-free score” according to the number of countries a passport holder can visit visa-free or with visa on arrival.
UAE passport holders enjoy a visa-free score of 128, which places them in the top 25 passports globally.
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Passport power lifts UAE influence
UAE passport top-ranked in GCC for visa-free access to countries
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In recent months, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation started to further enhance the power of the UAE passport to allow Emiratis visa-free travel in as many countries as possible, with agreements signed with Brazil and Argentina and plans for another 18 countries this year alone.
"These great accomplishments reflect the strategic, political, economic, social and cultural dimensions being enjoyed by the UAE at an international level," said Ahmed Al Dhaheri, the ministry's assistant under-secretary for consular affairs. "The higher ranking of the UAE passport is one of the most important achievements of the UAE diplomacy led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation."
The ministry recently launched the UAE Passport Force initiative, with the aim to place the country's passport on the list of the five most important passports in the world by 2021.
"We are thrilled to announce that the Passport Index serves as the official benchmark and service partner of the UAE Passport Force initiative to monitor and reflect in real time the accession of the UAE passport within the world’s most powerful,” said John Hanafin, chief executive of Arton Capital.
The ministry stepped up the diplomatic move towards greater openness to the world including strengthening relations with a number of countries.
The government's strategy aims to provide services to citizens, including exemption from pre-entry visa requirements to countries around the world.
The UAE’s recent diplomacy efforts have centred around strengthening ties with South and Central American countries, with official visits by Sheikh Abdullah and the opening of embassies and consulates in Brazil, Argentina and Cuba.
Brazil has recently strengthened its economic ties with the UAE and other Arab countries.
Non-oil trade between the UAE and Brazil was US$2.5 billion (Dh9.181bn) last year, while exports of Brazilian textiles to the region surged by 87.5 per cent during the first two months of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
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Director: Kangana Ranaut
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UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, Friday, March 29, 5pm at The Sevens, Dubai
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Andor
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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