Friday, Sep 09, 2011
Gulf News
Abu Dhabi Effort to better shape the demographic profile of the country tops the agendas of many candidates in elections for the Federal National Council (FNC).
The candidates say efforts to improve the UAE’s demographic structure should focus on empowering Emiratis through offering more jobs in the private sector and a bigger stake in private businesses.
Huda Al Matroushi, a candidate from Abu Dhabi, said the demographic imbalance should be addressed in a way that strikes a balance between comprehensive development and the interests of the homeland.
Al Matroushi added radical measures — including making changes to capital-intensive industries and changing the pattern which created jobs for foreign unskilled workers — were needed if efforts to improve the demographic structure of the country were to succeed. The construction sector contributes 8.6 per cent to gross domestic product but employs 47.5 per cent of foreign manpower, according to Labour Ministry statistics.
Increasing reliance
Al Matroushi 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 workforce. Al Matroushi said Emiratis should account for 30 per cent of the demographic make-up by 2022.
Dr Mouza Ghoash, a candidate from Dubai, says in her platform that the imbalance in the population structure is an issue of national security.
The UAE population has grown by 65 per cent to reach 8.26 million in the first half of 2010 compared to the same period in 2006, according to the UAE Statistics Bureau
Emiratis accounted for 11.5 per cent, or about 948,000, of the population at the end of June last year.
According to a report prepared by the FNC, the demographic imbalance began in the early 1970s due to the absence of planning, when the country embarked on the road to economic development.
Challenging issue
“The problem of demographic structure has become one of the challenging issues, which poses a threat to the identity of the local community and its social, economic and political future,” the report said. “Efforts have been made to balance the demographic structure of the country and many committees have been set up for this purpose.
“The problem in the UAE is different from the demographic problems of other countries. Two main facts characterise the problem.
“First, the number of Emiratis is extremely low compared to that of expatriates. Their position in the population has been reduced from 64 per cent [1986 census] to 24.5 per cent [1995 census].
“According to statistics, this percentage fell to 18 per cent in 1999. It went down 11.5 per cent last year.
“Second, certain nationalities are predominant in the demographic structure.”
The Federal Demographic Council, set up in November 2009 to improve the demographic profile of the UAE, has recently decided to present its strategy to the cabinet and concerned ministries to incorporate it in the UAE’s development strategy.
The Labour Ministry has also initiated demographic policies and initiatives aimed at creating more jobs for Emiratis and decreasing dependence on foreign workers especially in marginal and low-skill jobs.
workforce
expatriate domination
47.5%
foreigners employed in construction sector
11.5%
Emiratis in UAE’s 8.26 million population
948,000
Emirati population at the end of June 2010
By Samir Salama?Associate Editor
Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.
