Emiratis need to hold key posts

Abu Dhabi: Efforts to better shape the UAE's demographic structure should focus on empowering Emiratis to hold keys of the economy, through more jobs in the private sector and bigger stake in private businesses, a top official said on Tuesday.

Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, said the Government was working to address the demographic imbalance in a way that strikes a balance between comprehensive development and interests of the homeland and citizens and that fulfils our right to secure a promising future.

Shaikh Saif, also chairman of the Federal Demographic Council, was speaking after a meeting of the council on Monday. The council was set up in November 2009 to improve the demographic profile of the UAE.

Decreasing dependence

The council decided to present its strategy to the cabinet and concerned ministries to incorporate it in the UAE's development strategy.

The meeting, also attended by Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of Labour, reviewed demographic policies and initiatives aimed at creating more jobs for Emiratis and decreasing dependence on foreign workers especially in marginal and low-skill jobs.

During the meeting, Gobash gave a presentation about the recent measures aimed at liberalising the labour market and ensuring the optimal use of skilled and professional workers in the country rather than replacing them with newcomers.

The Federal Demographic Council also coordinates with departments across the country to ensure a common policy for reaching solutions to demographic issues and for maintaining harmony between the sustainable development and demographic policies.

Analysts say radical measures — which include making changes to capital-intensive industries, and changing the economic pattern which creates jobs for foreign, unskilled workers and excludes Emiratis from the labour market — are needed if efforts to better shape the demographic structure of the country are to succeed.

Dr Ebtisam Al Kitbi, professor of political science at the UAE University, told Gulf News recently that the UAE economy created jobs for foreign, unskilled workers, and excluded Emiratis from the labour market.

The construction sector contributed 8.6 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP), but employed 47.5 per cent of the foreign manpower, according to Labour Ministry statistics.

Ebtisam argued that the ever-increasing reliance on foreign manpower was accompanied by a decline in productivity and had adversely affected the sustainability of economic growth and the creation of jobs for Emiratis.

Labour Ministry figures also showed university graduates employed in the private sector accounted for only 10 per cent of the UAE work force.

Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief, had said a quota system for foreign workers would help address the demographic structure and maintain the identity of the country.

Ebtisam said the system was being used by the Labour Ministry "but the outcome was not so impressive".