Cape Town - South Africa is ranked as one of the top nationalities in Africa, according to a new index unveiled in Zurich.
The Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index (QNI) is the first to ever objectively rank the quality of nationalities worldwide and explores both internal factors (such as the scale of the economy, human development, and peace and stability) and external factors (including visa-free travel and the ability to settle and work abroad without cumbersome formalities) that make one nationality better than another in terms of legal status in which to develop your talents and business.
The QNI consistently ranks the German nationality the highest in the world over the last five years with a score of 83.1 percent. The nationality of the Democratic Republic of Congo sits at the bottom of the index on 14.3 percent.
“South African nationality falls into the Medium Quality tier on the Index,” Sandra Woest, Senior Manager at Henley & Partners South Africa, says.
“Although this lags behind countries in Europe, large parts of Asia, North America, and even many South American nationalities, ours is one of the stronger nationalities in Africa.” (The Index lists four tiers based on quality, from Very High to Low.)
Woest states: “It is clearly better to have a nationality of a country with long life expectancy, good schooling and high prosperity – like Australia – than of a country which offers lower levels of security, schooling and healthcare to its nationals – like Ukraine.”
Similarly, it is better to have a nationality with the rights to work and reside in several countries, like those of the European Union, with work and residence rights throughout the EU, rather than, say, Japan, which, although equally prosperous, does not offer its nationals any rights at all outside their own borders.
It is also better to have a nationality of a peaceful and stable country, like Denmark, rather than of a country with security risks, like Venezuela.
* Download the QNI General Ranking here.
Adapted from a press release for IOL