Abu Dhabi, Jun 18 (IANS/WAM): The United Arab Emirates's passport ranking advanced in 2017 to the first spot in the Arab world and 22nd globally, according to Global Passport Power Rank 2017.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) recently launched the UAE Passport Force initiative, with the view to place the State's passport on the list of the five most important passports in the world by 2021.

Ahmed Saeed Elham Al Dhaheri, Assistant Under-Secretary for Consular Affairs at the ministry, said that the ranking of the UAE passport as the first Arab passport and 22nd globally, according to Arton Capital Passport Index 2017, "is one of the most important achievements of the UAE diplomacy led, by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan."

Al Dhahiri added that these achievements are directly reflected on the citizen's happiness through travel facilitation to the largest number of countries around the world, said the report on Friday.

The UAE passport allows its holder to visit 128 countries around the world without a pre-entry visa requirement.

The official noted that this status did not come from a vacuum, but through remarkable efforts and huge economic development achievements.

"These great accomplishments reflect the strategic, political, economic, social and cultural dimensions, with important implications in terms of prestige and appreciation, being enjoyed by the UAE at international level."