The problem
The substantial majority of foreigners living in the UAE has already, and will further, change and weaken the UAE nationals' grip on their own sense of national identity. The presence of so many non-Emiratis in the country has changed many areas of lifestyle, language and social assumptions.
The fear is that this change might go deeper than it has done already and might start affecting morals, religion and eventually disperse the Emiratis into becoming an invisible minority in the heterogeneous mix of the population in their own country.
- Demographic mix: This phrase is used to describe the 15 per cent that UAE nationals make of the total UAE population; 85 per cent of foreign expatriates bring their own languages, social assumptions and expectations with them. This is having an effect as these outside ideas are absorbed by UAE nationals, especially the younger generation.
- Community profile: This phrase is used to describe the balance (or lack of it) in the mix of nationalities in the UAE. It is also a polite code to refer to the substantial number of Indians and other nationalities from the subcontinent in the UAE, who currently make up the majority of the population. Some Emiratis would like to see this majority reduced in the overall mix.
- Lack of Arabic language: The prevalence of Arabic has reduced under the impact of so many foreigners living in the UAE. In addition, the teaching of Arabic within the UAE's schools is poor and many Emiratis are growing up not able to speak or write effectively in their own language. This has alarmed many UAE nationals, even including many active supporters of a more global and mixed UAE community.
- Poor education in some areas: Fails to teach adequate skills for the workplace and also does not teach good Arabic. In addition, some private sector schools do not teach UAE nationals the history and traditions of their own country.
The answer
- To encourage pride in national identity: The complex mix of factors which make up national pride are being reviewed by the UAE as a whole, in order to reinforce and encourage a healthy pride in being a UAE national. These include many very different elements:
- Arabic language: Several efforts to require more use of Arabic across society are likely to be enforced. Government bodies will be asked to insist on working in Arabic. A wholesale reform of teaching methods at all levels is already under way. Education authorities are already looking at extending compulsory education to the kindergarten level, where Emiratis would get a sound grounding in Arabic and still be able to learn other languages later in life.
- Education: The quality of teaching will be improved so that the UAE schools offer the best training and teaching possible. Arabic will be increasingly emphasised throughout the country's educational institutions.
- Heritage: This catch-all phrase sums up the various elements of history and culture which add to the national identity, including architecture, music, poetry, dress. The active encouragement of using and understanding these attributes will continue to be important.
- Political involvement: UAE nationals take great pride in their country and support the way the leadership is taking it. This general involvement along the lines of good citizenship will slowly develop into more precise political involvement, such as the partially elected Federal National Council.
- Sports: Supporting national pride, there will continue to be great celebration of successes and sporting endeavour. As with the victory of the national football team in last year's Gulf Cup and Al Ain Club in the Asia Cup a few years ago, as well as the Olympic gold medal in shooting.
- To address the demographic mix and community profile: This is can be done by supporting the presence of the UAE national population and taking steps to manage the expatriate population. There can be no return to the small population of yesteryears, and the UAE is committed to growth leading to a total population of around 10 million (up from the present 4 million). The question is how to achieve a more balanced mix.
- Emiratisation: The process of encouraging Emiratis in the work force gets high priority from the government. As the huge wave of under-25 Emiratis comes into the work force public and private sector companies are being asked to recruit and keep Emirati staff.
- Imposing visa controls to encourage diversity: Some more benign steps include charging more for companies which have over 50 per cent of their work force from one nationality. Tougher steps would be to require certain sectors to recruit in a particular way.
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