The top-10 soft power target positions the UAE alongside established cultural and diplomatic powers — the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan — in global influence rankings. This is an inherently asymmetric ambition for a nation of 10 million people and 53 years of statehood, and its pursuit reflects the UAE’s distinctive strategy of converting economic resources into diplomatic weight, cultural visibility, and institutional convening power.
Target vs. Actual Performance
| Index | 2022 Rank | 2023 Rank | 2024 Rank | 2025 (est.) | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand Finance Global Soft Power | 15 | 13 | 10 | 10 | Top 10 |
| Portland/USC Soft Power 30 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 (proj.) | Top 10 |
| Monocle Soft Power Survey | 22 | 20 | 17 | 15 (proj.) | Top 10 |
| Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brand | 19 | 17 | 15 | 14 (proj.) | Top 10 |
Soft Power Component Scores (Brand Finance, 2024)
| Pillar | Score (0-100) | Global Rank | Change from 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and trade | 72.4 | 6 | +4.8 |
| Governance | 68.2 | 9 | +5.2 |
| International relations | 65.8 | 11 | +6.1 |
| Culture and heritage | 48.6 | 28 | +3.4 |
| Media and communication | 54.2 | 19 | +4.8 |
| Education and science | 46.8 | 31 | +2.9 |
| People and values | 52.4 | 22 | +3.6 |
Progress Rate Analysis
The UAE has achieved its most dramatic ranking improvement on the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index, rising from 15th in 2022 to 10th in 2024 — effectively meeting the target on this measure seven years early. This reflects the index’s weighting toward business environment, governance, and international relations, where the UAE scores strongly.
Other soft power indices present a more nuanced picture. The Portland/USC and Monocle rankings weight cultural output, education, and values perception more heavily — areas where the UAE’s scores are lower. The culture and heritage pillar (28th globally on Brand Finance) and education and science pillar (31st) represent structural gaps that limit composite ranking improvement.
The UAE’s soft power gains have been driven by a deliberate programme of high-visibility events (COP28, Expo 2020 legacy), diplomatic mediation roles, humanitarian aid positioning, and cultural infrastructure investment (Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi). The space programme (Mars Hope Probe) contributed to science and innovation perceptions.
Key Soft Power Assets
| Asset | Category | Global Impact |
|---|---|---|
| COP28 presidency and legacy | Diplomacy | High |
| Louvre Abu Dhabi | Culture | High |
| Mars Hope Probe / Space Agency | Science | Medium-High |
| Expo 2020 legacy district | Events | Medium |
| Humanitarian aid ($9.3 Bn since 2010) | Values | Medium |
| Abu Dhabi Finance Week / GITEX | Business | Medium |
| Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (opening 2025) | Culture | High (anticipated) |
Risk Factors
| Risk | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural output perception gap | High | Limits composite ranking ceiling |
| Human rights criticism in Western media | Medium | Depresses values and people pillars |
| Regional geopolitical association | Medium | Transfers regional instability perception |
| Education metrics lag | Medium | Drags science and education pillar |
| Index methodology changes | Low-Medium | Reweighting could shift rankings |
Outlook
The UAE has effectively achieved its top-10 soft power target on the Brand Finance index and is within striking distance on others. Sustained improvement requires closing the cultural output and education perception gaps, which are the binding constraints across all indices. The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opening, continued space programme milestones, and expansion of cultural exchange programmes will support further gains. A consolidated top-10 position across all major soft power indices by 2031 is achievable if cultural and educational investments translate into measurable perception improvements.
Current Assessment: On Track — top-10 achieved on lead index, convergence across other indices progressing.