ABU DHABI // Emiratisation quotas must be introduced at all private companies and salaries should be subsidised by the Government, Federal National Council members say.
After years of pushing companies to employ nationals, the FNC’s Emiratisation committee will call for stronger measures to lower unemployment rates when sessions resume this month.
Hamad Al Rahoomi (Dubai), who promised voters in the 2011 elections that he would keep Emiratisation at the top of his agenda, said there were many job openings but 40,000 nationals are unemployed.
“This state we are in is abnormal,” Mr Al Rahoomi said. “No matter what, we should not reach such high unemployment rates. I think this is a very important issue to all locals and companies.”
Two years after the committee was formed, its members say a detailed report is ready to be discussed with ministers as soon as the FNC reconvenes.
The report claims more Emiratisation is needed and includes a plan drafted by members to resolve the issue.
While it has yet to be revealed, the study predicts that by 2020, 150,000 Emiratis will be jobless unless the plan is followed.
Mr Al Rahoomi said the lack of clear policies allowed the problem to worsen. It needed immediate action “that would resolve the issue for good”.
For this, companies must be required to hire locals and offer them at least the same salaries as those in the public sector.
This would compensate for lower job security in the private sector and the possibility of being squeezed out by expatriates, Mr Al Rahoomi said.
“If we ask them to work for half the salary, this will not happen,” he said.
He said it was illogical and unfair to have two Emiratis, both graduates of the same class, with a Dh15,000 salary gap between them just because one was a government employee and the other was working in the private sector.
"Emiratisation cannot continue like this," Mr Al Rahoomi said. "Companies cannot give Emiratis a small shoe and ask them to wear it. They will put up with it for a while until they throw it away."
It was no surprise that companies have complained Emiratis stay on for a couple of years at most then move on, he said. While the Khalifa Fund has tried to help with subsidising salaries, a nationwide programme is needed.
Mosabeh Al Kitbi (Sharjah), who is also on the committee, said members would also call for changes to the labour law to make private-sector jobs more secure for Emiratis.
Mr Al Rahoomi said a clause insisting that companies only hired a foreigner if there was no national for the job was not being enforced.
“This is not executed right now,” he said. “If you have 40,000 available to work, any one of them can be an accountant, a secretary or go into a lot of other jobs on offer.”
He said the FNC would not tolerate Emiratis being hired as token gestures to allow companies to meet quotas.
“This is completely against what the council stands for,” Mr Al Rahoomi said. “Companies also have the right to get a good employee.
“With our plan, there will be a certain section at the Ministry of Labour to ensure no bogus Emiratisation.”
The argument that Emiratis were not up to the task was no longer valid, he said, as they had proven their capabilities.
osalem@thenational.ae
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
