21-02-2025
Morocco Maintains 1st in Maghreb, 3rd in Africa on Global Soft Power Index
Doha – Morocco maintained its 50th position globally in the 2025 Global Soft Power Index by Brand Finance, leading North Africa and ranking third continentally behind South Africa (41st) and Egypt (38th).
For the second consecutive year, with a score of 40.6 points in this sixth edition, Morocco stands ahead of regional neighbors Algeria, which dropped five places to 78th position, and Tunisia, which fell two spots to 79th place. Libya and Mauritania follow at 133rd and 150th positions respectively.
Brand Finance, a leading brand valuation consultancy, conducted its most comprehensive study of nation brand perceptions, surveying over 170,000 respondents across more than 100 countries.
The study evaluates all 193 UN member states across 55 different metrics to determine their soft power influence.
As defined by Brand Finance, soft power represents 'a nation's ability to influence the preferences and behaviors of various actors in the international arena through attraction or persuasion rather than coercion.'
'The global public's capacity to develop familiarity with and admiration for nation brands seems finite, favouring prominent countries and those making deliberate efforts to stand out,' notes Konrad Jagodzinski, Place Branding Director at Brand Finance.
The United States maintains its leading position in the global rankings with 79.5 points, while China climbed to second place with 72.8 points, surpassing the United Kingdom for the first time.
Among Arab countries, the United Arab Emirates leads at 10th place globally with 60.4 points, followed by Saudi Arabia (20th, 55.6 points), Qatar (22nd), and Egypt (38th, 45.4 points).
Morocco's strategic depth in Africa
Morocco's soft power strategy in Africa demonstrates a comprehensive, multi-layered approach encompassing economic, religious, security, and cultural dimensions.
In economic terms, Morocco has positioned itself as a major continental investor, directing 40% of its global foreign direct investments to Africa, with 97% concentrated in sub-Saharan nations through concrete projects and business partnerships.
The security dimension of Morocco's African strategy manifests through strategic partnerships with Sahelian states. Cooperation agreements with Mali, Niger, and Côte d'Ivoire focus on counter-terrorism, organized crime prevention, and addressing transnational threats.
The Royal Military Academy in Meknes provides specialized training to African military personnel, with regular cohorts of officers from partner nations completing advanced military education programs.
Religious diplomacy has emerged as a central tool in Morocco's African engagement. The Mohammed VI Institute for Imam Training, established in 2014, promotes a moderate Islamic doctrine based on Maliki principles.
This initiative expanded with the 2015 creation of the Foundation of African Ulemas, which coordinates religious scholarship across the continent.
The construction of prominent mosques, such as the Mohammed VI Mosques in Conakry and Abidjan's Treichville neighborhood – covering 25,000 square meters and serving 40% of the Ivorian Muslim population – represents investments exceeding $40 million.
In the diplomatic sphere, Morocco's appointment of 46 diplomats to key positions in international and regional organizations in 2023 has expanded its institutional presence. These diplomats participate in UN peacekeeping operations and contribute to specific conflict resolution initiatives across the continent.
The educational and cultural dimension includes specific programs hosting African students in Moroccan universities and the establishment of the African Studies Institute.
As a case in point, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), focuses on applied research and innovation specifically oriented toward African development.
Morocco's technological leadership in Africa finds expression through GITEX Africa, which sees its third edition scheduled for April 14-16, 2025, in Marrakech.
Morocco's media presence operates through the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies and the African Journalists Training Center, providing professional training and technical resources to journalists from across the continent.
Morocco has established the African Observatory for Migration in Rabat and implemented specific policies regularizing the status of undocumented immigrants.
The country has also executed debt cancellation agreements with several African countries and maintains active membership in the Community of Sahel-Saharan States since 2001.
Through the Tijania Sufi brotherhood, Morocco maintains spiritual connections particularly in West African nations like Senegal, where the brotherhood's headquarters in Fez serves as a significant pilgrimage site generating economic and cultural exchanges with West African nations.
Read also: Morocco and Africa: The Dilemma of Unity, Fragmentation, and Rational Choice Tags: African influenceGlobal Soft Power
