The Moroccan passport has been ranked 49th out of 50 countries in the Happy Passports Index 2026, a report by Global Citizen Solutions. With a score of 29.7 points out of 100, Morocco only surpassed Kenya, which ranked last with 22.4 points. The index evaluates countries based on four main criteria: citizens' assessment of their lives, level of freedom, passport strength and mobility, and prosperity, health, and safety.
The Happy Passports Index 2026 assesses countries' performance across four equal-weighted axes. Morocco scored lowest in the life evaluation axis with zero points, while it received 60.5 points in the freedom axis, 15.5 points in passport strength, and 42.6 points in the prosperity, health, and safety axis. In comparison, South Africa ranked 47th with 34.5 points.
Finland topped the overall ranking with 93.2 points, followed by Iceland with 92.4 points, and Denmark with 92.1 points. Eight European countries, along with New Zealand and Singapore, made up the top ten. The report noted that countries with higher happiness levels often have strong passports, but a powerful passport does not guarantee a high level of happiness, especially if freedoms and quality of life are lacking.
The report highlighted a clear gap between Morocco's mobility and citizens' evaluation of their lives and welfare level. Although Morocco is improving its position in some traditional passport strength indicators, the new index reveals a significant disparity. According to the report's authors, freedom to make daily life decisions is a key factor in achieving satisfaction, more so than having a passport that allows travel to many countries.
The Happy Passports Index 2026 relies on data from the World Happiness Report, civil liberties indicators, Global Citizen Solutions' passport strength rankings, and data from the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the Institute for Economics and Peace. A limited number of African and Arab countries were included in the evaluation, with Morocco being the only country featured in both classifications.
Among the Arab countries evaluated, the United Arab Emirates ranked 23rd with 73.4 points, and Saudi Arabia ranked 41st with 49.7 points. African countries evaluated included Mauritius, which ranked 37th with 62.6 points, and South Africa, which ranked 47th with 34.5 points.
The limited sample size of 50 countries, selected based on specific criteria, excluded other Arab and African countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Morocco's performance in the index highlights areas for improvement in citizens' quality of life and freedoms, despite advancements in traditional passport strength metrics.
Key points
- Morocco's passport ranked 49th out of 50 countries in the Happy Passports Index 2026.
- The index evaluates countries based on citizens' assessment of their lives, level of freedom, passport strength, and prosperity, health, and safety.
- Morocco scored lowest in the life evaluation axis with zero points.
