One of modernity's better trends is countries having ways to project power internationally other than through military might. Describing this process, former US assistant secretary of defence Joseph Nye devised the term “soft power”: the ability to peacefully convince others to do what you want.
It is perhaps unsurprising that an American came up with the term. Alongside its significant hard power, the US has been a pioneer of soft power throughout the past century, to great effect; Coca Cola and McDonald's are far more globally recognisable brands than the Pentagon. Sometimes the two even combine. The National has written about a supposed project by the US in the 1950s to get Filipinos to vote for Ramon Magsaysay, their seventh president, by writing a pop song, Magsaysay Mambo.
The annual Global Soft Power Index assesses more everyday trends. First in this year’s list is the US, which jumped from sixth place in 2021. The UAE has been climbing steadily towards the top spot in recent years. In the 2022 report, the country ranks 15th overall, up two points from last year, making it once again the leading Middle Eastern country. This makes sense given not a year goes by without the country fulfilling goals in its years-long strategy to diversify and become a global destination.
But recently, the Emirates won a significant deal of respect and admiration for its approach to an unplanned, seismic global event: the Covid-19 pandemic. Both recovery from and efforts to tackle it have come up as perhaps the leading factor determining this year's rankings. The UAE has now largely opened up to the rest of the world, regaining its status as a global hub for tourism and aviation, both sectors that people have been clamouring to revive after two years of restrictions. Some of those that have chosen more inflexible policies have suffered as a result, such as Australia and New Zealand, which have both dropped in the table.
In terms of helping the rest of the world, countries that pioneered vaccines, such as China, the US, Germany and the UK, also gained plenty. The UAE will have done well out of its participation in the Covax scheme, the almost uniquely quick vaccination drive, the speed at which it introduced policies to protect people from the virus and its ability to be one of the first countries globally to safely host major international events, be they in sport or business.
In the background to Covid-19, longer-term aspects of the UAE continue to build on its reputation as a global brand. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said on Twitter that the "real soft power of the UAE is in its development model that brings together East and West". The country’s strongest performance in the rankings continues to be in the business and trade category, a sign that it remains open as a place for people around the world to work.
A soft power strategy does best in stable times. The past few years have been quite the opposite, and 2022 might follow suit in its own way. The fact that the UAE not only continues to lead the Middle East in the rankings, but also edges towards the global top ten, is a sign that growth in the country is not just progressive, but also resilient.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Uefa Champions League last 16 draw
Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur
Basel v Manchester City
Sevilla v Manchester United
Porto v Liverpool
Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain
Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma
Chelsea v Barcelona
Bayern Munich v Besiktas
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Brief scores:
Manchester City 2
Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'
Crystal Palace 3
Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)
Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)
Brighton 1
Gross (50' pen)
Tottenham 1
Kane (48)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Result
Tottenhan Hotspur 2 Roma 3
Tottenham: Winks 87', Janssen 90 1'
Roma 3
D Perotti 13' (pen), C Under 70', M Tumminello 90 2"
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
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Company name: baraka
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Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
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