The UAE has embarked on its transformational journey towards comprehensive development, based on the visions of the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, may Allah protect him, and his brother His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and their brothers, Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Emirates. To achieve this, the UAE has given all care and attention to Emirati youth, and has provided them with many initiatives and strategies, such as the Emiratization initiative, which will remain a witness to the vision and insight of the leadership of the UAE. The Emiratization initiative was embodied through the "Nafis" program, which reflects the state's strategy in integrating the national workforce in the private sector. The successes and achievements of the program within two years may come in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Presidential Court, which contributed significantly to the increase in the number of citizens in the private sector to 92 thousands by the end of 2023. Despite these ongoing successes, some challenges have emerged, such as the issue of simulated Emiratization that we hear about these days, as some private sector companies exploit the Nafis program for financial gains, such as benefiting from incentives and support programs, without creating job opportunities or enhancing training environments. In addition, some companies do not comply with localization quotas, and others resort to advanced methods to bypass regulations, which deprives citizens who work only by titles of real job opportunities, which will affect their career prospects and personal development. Above all, simulated Emiratization leads to inflating employment statistics, and the associated studies based on these figures, which creates a misleading representation of citizens' actual participation, and inevitably leads to inaccurate assessments of the labor market.

Despite the accountability of these companies, these practices still contribute to some extent to obstructing the broader objectives of the national labor market.

There is no doubt that the Emiratization policy embodied in the "Nafis" program is the cornerstone of social and economic development, and despite the existence of some challenges, such as formal Emiratization, the continued success of this initiative proves day after day that the youth of the state continue to empower and acquire skills, and today they are ready to go far in the horizons of creativity and innovation.

Founder of Suhail Smart Solutions