Morocco has consolidated its position as the country with the strongest reputation in Africa and the Arab world, ranking 27th globally in the 2026 RepCore Nations report after climbing three places from the previous year. The findings were presented during an international webinar on country reputation management, where Morocco featured alongside Ukraine as one of two notable case studies, with Issam Lotfi, Chief Strategic Officer at Morocco’s Institut Royal des Études Stratégiques, taking part alongside Maria Lypiatska, Head of Brand Ukraine.
Morocco’s rise was accompanied by stronger perceptions in several areas assessed by the study, including technological perception, public resource management and international sporting achievements, factors that contributed to its improved overall position in a ranking measuring the admiration, respect and trust countries generate among international audiences. The 2026 study places Morocco ahead of every other African and Arab country included, assessing nations through 22 attributes spanning economic, political, social, cultural and environmental dimensions.
Ukraine was the other country examined, with its overall reputation remaining stable while recording improvements in security, technological development and business environment perceptions, gains the report attributes to the admiration and international solidarity associated with the country since Russia’s invasion began.
The wider ranking showed a decline across most major economies, with the average score of the 60 largest economies falling 0.86 points: 43 countries recorded declines, 14 improved and three remained stable. Japan made the biggest move, rising seven places to first, overtaking Canada and Switzerland, followed by Australia and Denmark, with Norway, Italy, Finland, New Zealand and Sweden rounding out the top ten. Israel suffered the largest decline, losing 7.2 points and falling two positions, while Iran moved into last place and the US continued to record a weak reputation among G7 respondents.
Reputation Lab, which produced the study, said the results also demonstrate the economic value of national reputation, with a one-point increase in Reputation Score associated on average with a 7.2 percent rise in tourism revenues and a 1 percent increase in foreign direct investment flows. The 2026 edition drew on 124,014 evaluations across 36 countries covering the reputation of 74 nations, with the published ranking focused on the 60 largest economies by GDP as assessed by public opinion in G7 countries.
