The Talent Attraction and Retention Committee convened its eighth meeting to deliberate on the strategic plan for the years 2024 to 2027 as part of the Talent Attraction and Retention Strategy 2031.
Chaired by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Minister in charge of Talent Attraction and Retention, the committee reviewed the progress of ongoing initiatives that were introduced to ensure the UAE remains a global magnet for the brightest minds and most accomplished professionals from around the world.
During the meeting, Al Zeyoudi emphasised the significance of the new phase of the Talent Attraction and Retention Strategy that will extend to 2027. It will introduce new programmes that will support the development of an attractive environment for global talent and ensure they are motivated to make a long-term contribution to the national economy.
The new strategy aims to enhance the country’s ability to compete for global talent by focusing on areas such as training, education, quality of life, and career progression in priority industries – particularly advanced technology.
The programmes have been developed in line with the committee’s core strategic goals, which include: establishing the UAE as one of the top 10 leaders of global talent competitiveness; ensuring the availability of talent in the UAE’s strategic sectors to enable the knowledge economy; and establishing the UAE’s profile as the top destination of choice for global talent.
The committee also provided updates on the key recommendations from the previous meeting, which was held in May, and reviewed the latest global developments in talent attraction, including the best practices adopted by leading countries.
Al Zeyoudi said, “Building the economy of the future requires the innovation, imagination and industry of the world’s most talented individuals, whether they’re academics, researchers, entrepreneurs or engineers. This new strategy has been designed to further the Committee’s mission to ensure the UAE is their chosen destination when seeking new opportunities, career advancement and work-life balance.
Our work is central to transforming the UAE into a global hub for innovation and creativity and we will continue to take a holistic approach to ensure the vitality and dynamism of our economy.”
Al Zeyoudi went on to praise the collaboration and innovation of the committee and all the entities involved in implementing the strategy, noting that more than 90 percent of the initiatives announced in the previous phase have been achieved.
The UAE Talent Attraction and Retention Committee comprises representatives from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Community Development; Ministry of Culture; Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security; the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre; the Abu Dhabi Residents Office – Department of Economic Development – Abu Dhabi; the Department of Economy and Tourism – Dubai; the UAE Council of Scientists; and the UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence. This committee was formed based on a Cabinet decision regarding the national strategy for talent attraction and retention in the UAE.
