The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has climbed up five places to the 15th position in Henley's Passport Index, after gaining visa-free access to a number of African countries including South Africa.

The index ranks all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The ranking is based on data from the International Air Transport Association.

Currently, UAE passport holders can access 172 destinations without a prior visa.

Referring to the UAE's continuous ascent up the rankings, Lorraine Charles at Cambridge University's Centre for Business Research was quoted by CNN as saying:  "It's the strongest climber this quarter." 

"While the UAE may not be able to compete with Saudi Arabia…  in terms of military strength and economic power, the projection of its soft power is uncontested in the GCC," Charles added in the October release of the passport index.

Meanwhile, Japan and Singapore retain a firm hold on first place on the Henley Passport Index, each with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 190 out of a maximum 227.

The top spot has been held by a European country or by the US, for most of the index’s 14-year history.

However, this shifted dramatically in 2018, with Asian countries now firmly established as world leaders when it comes to both global economic activity and global mobility.

Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the creator of the passport index concept, said: “Our ongoing research has shown that when we talk about ’passport power‘, we are discussing more than simply the destinations a holder can travel to without acquiring a visa in advance. Often, there is a strong correlation between visa freedom and other benefits such as business and investment freedom, independence of the judiciary, fiscal health, and property rights.”

Of the 32 countries that occupy the top 10 positions on the index, 22 of them are European Union member states with scores of 180 and above.

Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan languish at the bottom of the ranking, with visa-free/visa-on-arrival scores of just 29, 27, and 25, respectively.

(Writing by Mily Chakrabarty; Editing by Seban Scaria)

(mily.chakrabarty@refinitiv.com)

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