UAE youth optimistic about future
THE 10TH ARAB YOUTH SURVEY FINDS YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE REGION VIEW THE UAE AS A MODEL FOR THEIR OWN COUNTRIES TO EMULATE
DUBAI — Young Arabs across the region view the UAE as the top country to live in for the seventh year running, surpassing global powers such as Canada, the United States, Germany and Saudi Arabia.
According to ASDA’A Burson— Marsteller 10th Arab Youth Survey 2018, titled ‘A decade of hopes and fears’, young Emiratis are optimistic about their future and young Arabs across the region view the UAE as the top ally of their respective countries.
Young Emiratis agree with the positive perceptions of the UAE across the region, with 99 per cent of the UAE’s youth saying their country is heading in the right direction and more than four-in-five (80 per cent) saying their best days are ahead of them.
Young Arabs wish their countries would adopt the UAE model. I say to them: The UAE has and will always be everyone’s country, and to governments I say: Arab youth hope their countries would embrace their dreams, so do not limit them or kill their ambitions — HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
For the seventh consecutive year, young Arabs across the region voted the UAE as the top country to live in, according to the findings of the 10th Arab Youth Survey.
The ASDA’A Burson- Marsteller 10th Arab Youth Survey 2018, released on Tuesday, says the young Emiratis are optimistic about their future and young Arabs across the region view the UAE as the top ally of their respective countries.
More than one-in-three, 37 per cent, of 3,500 respondents across the 16 Arab countries, said the UAE is a model country for their own, once again far surpassing the US, Canada, Japan and others.
Sunil John, founder of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller and Curtis Freet, CEO of PBS research, released findings from the survey.
John said: “Young Emiratis agree with the positive perceptions of the UAE across the region, with 99 per cent of the UAE’s youth saying their country is heading in the right direction and more than four-infive (85 per cent) saying their best days are ahead of them.”
youth’s role in expo 2020
Discussing survey results in a panel discussion during the launch, Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and director-general of Expo 2020 Bureau, said: “The vision of the UAE in integrating and engaging the youth in all the political processes is part and parcel of a government strategy. About 30 per cent of the employees of the Expo 2020 is under the age of 30.”
Hashimy said the Expo is heavily promoted in universities and schools.
“We were engaging the youth and two years ago; we also decided to work in cooperation with SMEs. It is important for entrepreneurs to believe they are playing a vital role. Youth volunteering will also be a big part of the Expo 2020 promotion.”
Young Emiratis also expressed strong support for the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT). Nearly three-in-four (71 per cent) young Emiratis said they support the five per cent VAT, introduced by the UAE government this January. Only 27 per cent opposed the new tax.
bleak outlook in levant
Another key findings in the survey states youth in the past decade — shaped by the Arab Spring and Daesh — has left the Middle East drifting off course.
“Youth in the Levant has a slightly bleaker outlook towards the future as compared to their GCC counterparts,” said Freet. Eighty-nine per cent of youth in Lebanon, 88 per cent in Jordan, and 89 per cent in Palestinian territories feel the region has moved in the wrong direction.
Arab youth say Daesh and the Arab Spring have had the most significant impact on the region over the past decade; both were seen to have impacted the region negatively. To steer the region in the right direction, action is needed on jobs, education, corruption and the fight against terror, according to survey results.
While announcing survey results, Curtis said: “Arab youths are not at all confused about what they want for the future. They have straightforward requirements, and their top priorities are defeating terrorist organisation, creating new well-paying jobs, modernising the education system, and cracking down on government corruption.”
research methodology
Revealing details of the research methodology, John said: “The survey conducted 3,500 face-to-face interviews from January 21 to February 20. The interviews were conducted in English and Arabic.”
“The Arab Youth survey is a special passion project which has consistently grown over the last 10 years. When we take a look back, the region has gone through some severe ups and downs in the last 10 years.”
Of the 300 respondents interviewed in UAE, 40 per cent were from Dubai, another 40 per cent from Abu Dhabi and 20 per cent from Sharjah. dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com