UAE Passport Now World’s Most Powerful

• Posted on Dec 02, 2018
• In Industry News

The Passport Power Initiative showcases the power of positive diplomacy with their considerable achievements.

A monumental milestone has been etched into the UAE’s history this month, as their passport took the lead in the Global Passport Power Ranking.

According to The Passport Index, the interactive real-time ranking platform created by Arton Capital in 2014, the UAE passport reached a record-breaking visa-free score of 167, giving Emirati citizens access to over 84% of the world.

The announcement of the passport’s achievement was released just a day prior to the UAE’s National Holiday and was gloriously displayed in true celebratory style upon the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, which also holds the largest LED screen. Many thousands of spectators were quick to share the exciting news with the rest of the world, as the UAE’s triumph went completely viral.

“We were thrilled to collaborate with the UAE and are excited to see the outstanding results,” said Armand Arton, Founder and President of Arton Capital. “Emiratis will now enjoy a greater global mobility and respect around the world,” added Arton.

Initially, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation launched the UAE Passport Power Initiative, to reinforce the Emirati passport and aimed to reach within the top five by 2021. Over 2 years ahead of schedule, the power of the UAE’s positive diplomacy showcased stunning results, as their passport exclusively claims the #1 spot.

According to H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the achievement is a true reflection of the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father of the UAE, and prosperously displays the nation as a strong, united, and engaging force on the global stage. 

With a new vision for the Middle East, the UAE created an alternative, future-oriented ideology that promotes co-existence and diversity, encourages innovation and growth and welcomes global engagement. Providing a prosperous, educated, healthy, and peaceful future for its citizens have been ingrained in the UAE’s DNA since the country’s founding in 1971.

The power of passports represents more than just identity, but rather a vital tool that influences global opportunity, mobility and quality of life, and today, this is what the UAE has accomplished: offering its people the greatest freedom of all.

Although the UAE became the first Arab country to capture the lead in the passport ranking, others can be inspired to take on a similar goal as well. Nations that aim to increase the power of their passports, and thereby increase the mobility of their citizens, should start by setting a goal and evaluating their ability to undertake a positive diplomatic approach. Working with our specialized team of analysts, these governments can easily set targets and devise strategies to achieve them.

As Emiratis celebrate their passport’s victory, their nation is setting an example to others, both in the Arab World and beyond, that aiming for the stars, might actually get you to the moon.