UAE leadership's support made it achieve top ranking: Minister

The UAE's Minister of Health and Prevention has said that the UAE topped the Middle East region for handling the COVID-19 pandemic efficiently because of its government's forward-looking vision.

Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais made the comments after the country topped the region in the UK’s Global Soft Power Index, issued by Brand Finance.

The rankings, where the UAE comes 14th globally, were based on a questionnaire sent out to 105 countries.

The nation’s efforts, from international aid to vaccine development, have meant the UAE has handled the pandemic better than its neighbours, the report said.

In a statement Dr. Al Owais said that the new achievement reflect the incredible work put forth by the healthcare sector thanks to the support of the UAE's leadership.