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The most comprehensive survey of a population of 200 million
For the twelfth year in a row, Arab youth, and since they were asked to name the countries they consider ideal, have chosen the UAE as the preferred country to live in and which they want their countries to emulate, according to the fifteenth annual ASDA’A BCW survey of Arab youth, which it issued yesterday, Tuesday. Echoes of BCW».
The United States and Canada ranked second and third for the third year in a row.
It is remarkable that three of the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, namely the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, appear in the list of the top five ideal countries for the first time in 9 years.
Arab young men and women said that they currently prefer living in Qatar more than the United Kingdom, while the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranks fifth with the United Kingdom in the list of countries that Arab youth want their countries to follow.
The survey, which was issued by ASDA’A BCW this year under the title “A New Reality and a Changing Perspective,” is the most comprehensive survey of its kind for the largest population in the region, which includes more than 200 million young men and women.
It was conducted during the period from March 27 to April 12, 2023, and included 3,600 personal interviews conducted by experienced interviewers from the Sixth Factor Consulting Company with Arab young men and women whose ages ranged between 18-24 years.
The sample of participants, which is the largest in the history of the survey, was distributed evenly between the sexes in 53 cities within 18 Arab countries, including South Sudan for the first time.
The interviews were conducted in person rather than electronically to ensure the accuracy of the research and to clarify as much as possible the nuances in the opinions of Arab youth across the region.
The results of the survey revealed that almost one out of every four Arab youth (24%) considers the United Arab Emirates the preferred country to live in, followed by the United States (19%), Canada (19%), Qatar (14%), and the United Kingdom (13%). ).
Qatar appears among the top five countries for the first time in eight years, which reflects the positive feeling among Arab youth towards this country after its success in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The UAE remained the favorite country that most Arab youth want their countries to follow for the twelfth year in a row.
And 22% of Arab young men and women agreed on this opinion, making the UAE ahead of the United States (19%), Canada (16%), and Qatar (15%). Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom together ranked fifth (11%).
As in previous surveys, choosing the UAE as a preferred country to live in is due to several reasons: the safe environment (41%), the growing economy (28%), the wise leadership with insightful vision (24%), the clean environment (22%), and the ease of starting a business. (20%).
The UAE was also widely praised as a great destination for raising a family (19%), providing a wide range of job opportunities (17%), a high-quality education system (16%), and having a rich cultural heritage (16%), as well as providing salaries. rewarding (13%). The ease of obtaining a residence visa in the UAE was another plus point for 12% of all respondents.
Sunil John, President of BCW in the Middle East and North Africa and founder of ASDA’A BCW, said: “The UAE remains the preferred destination for Arab youth looking for jobs, decent life opportunities and the freedom to fulfill their aspirations. The state of uncertainty prevailing in other regions and the current global economic situation contribute to highlighting the advantages of the UAE and the vision of its wise leadership.
He added, “Today, we are witnessing a growing trend in the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to invest in world-class infrastructure, in conjunction with their transformation into vital centers for trade, finance, tourism, education and healthcare. Arab youth see these countries as a role model, as they value the importance of providing job opportunities and achieving prosperity, in addition to providing the necessary capabilities to achieve a better and more satisfying life for them.
