Page 530 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2024 (Part 2)

9/17/24, 11:46 AM IGCF 2024: Experts on why favourable residency policies and rich cultural values will attract talent
The session was hosted in partnership with Forbes Middle East and moderated by its Editor-in-Chief
Khuloud Al Omian. The session also hosted H.E. Simon Robert Cofe, Minister of Transport, Energy,
Communications and Innovation of the Pacific Island of Tuvalu; and Rachid Yazami, a Singapore-based
Moroccan engineer and scientist known for his pioneering work on batteries. The guests agreed that

talent attraction and retention was key to the development of a country’s economy, and acknowledged
the progress made by Western countries or Asian powerhouses like Singapore.

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Al Zeyoudi expressed confidence in the UAE’s capabilities to achieve its dream thanks to its dedicated
efforts in the past three years to set up specialist committees for talent attraction, the changes in its visa
and immigration system, the hindrances visa seekers face in the US and Europe, and the stability,

security and safety that the Arab nation provides to its resident population.

Pointing out how countries like Australia, Denmark and Finland attracted students interested in specialty
subjects, the Minister noted that the UAE is “using education as a tool to attract talent at an early age”.
However, “communicating with an Internet-oriented Generation Z, convincing them to work with you or
sustaining their interest for long is the challenge”, he added.

Yazami, who moved from California to Singapore 14 years ago to work in Nanyang Technological
University and does not regret his decision, felt there should be a government policy to attract talent
internationally. He praised the UAE for its stability and hoped there would be a Nobel Prize coming from
the Emirates soon. “Education is vital in shaping minds and learning values is equally important for

young people though many of them now feel that they can make money easily through the Internet.

This is a dangerous trend as without the curiosity to learn or opening the minds to the world and to
history, arts, music, there cannot be a sense of belonging to humanity,” he added. Referring to the
success stories of Scandinavian countries and Asian countries like Japan and South Korea, Yazami
vouched there is a strong correlation between education and economy.

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