Monday, Feb 06, 2017

While every country has at its disposal a vast reservoir of human resources, the key to progress lies in knowing how to nurture this potential and optimise its output for national development. And to turn this key fully, a combined force of three elements is required: the creation of a conducive atmosphere for fertile minds to work in, systemising regulations and procedures to identify and attract these fertile minds to mesh with this environment and synthesising these two approaches to integrate with national goals and outcomes.

The UAE’s new advanced visa system unveiled on Monday does well to tick all these boxes. This move is more exemplary when seen in the international and regional context of how some countries are seeking to curtail the inflow of human resources on various grounds. In going against this grain, the UAE is, once again, setting a global example of its foresight and exclusivity of thought that is at the heart of its dynamism.

This enviable stature, which it has earned for itself as a result of its leadership’s vision, has made the UAE a role model in the region and the operating principle behind the new visa system will further enhance the country’s image as a haven of tolerance and a repository of multicultural intellectual riches. In today’s fractious geopolitical climate, this expansiveness and integrity of intent is highly commendable.

Add to this the fact that the new visa initiative is in perfect alignment with several of UAE’s goals — innovation, tolerance, competitive excellence and economic kineticism, societal happiness, to name some, and it is a reiteration of how the UAE continues to strengthen its bedrock of guiding principles.

Gulf News

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