Helping Arabs to link with homeland

Cairo: The UAE spares no effort in working to strengthen Arab expatriates' links with their home countries, affirmed UAE Labour Minister Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash.

Gobash added in a speech he delivered at the first conference for Arab expatriates and representatives of Arab communities abroad that the UAE and other GCC countries do not have permanent immigrants.

However, he added that as a result of the UAE's Arab affiliation, and its deep understanding of the role played by the Arab community abroad, especially in backing the Palestinian issue, the UAE will provide every help to strengthen ties between those Arabs and their home countries.

Gobash said in the conference that took place yesterday at the Arab League's headquarters that the UAE will back and enhance the bonding between Arab immigrants and their extended Arab homeland, in addition to enabling them through civil society organisations to win over public opinion to the side of their just causes.

He also called for enriching communications between Arab expats and their homeland, to augment their contribution in strengthening bridges between their communities abroad and the Arab world.

Gobash also talked about the necessity of hearing out their views and recommendations to deepen their connection with their countries and with the Arab world in general.

The Minister of Labour said that the conference is very important and it will discuss several dimensions that spring out of what the Arab communities represent in foreign countries.

Answering a question about whether Arab countries participate in chasing out experts and minds, Gobash pointed out that there is some truth in this notion, because the environment in the West embraces expertise and does not discriminate between nationalities.