The United Arab Emirates is known as a land of opportunities, enterprise and wisdom, where the happiness of the people tops the list of priorities for the leadership.

The country has been persistently keeping pace with global developments and never tires of springing huge surprises with remarkable achievements in varied fields.

It is indeed a matter of great pride for the nation that for the eighth consecutive year, the United  Arab Emirates  is seen by young Arabs as a model and the number one country to live in, as per the findings from the 11th annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey.

The survey is exhaustive and based on 3,300 face-to-face interviews conducted by international research firm PSB between Jan.6 and Jan.29, 2019 with young Arab nationals aged 18-24 in 15 states in the Middle East and North Africa and flawlessly reflects the ground realities.

For example, more than two in five (44 per cent) young Arabs say the UAE is the country they would want to live in, followed by Canada (22 per cent), United States (21 per cent), Turkey (17 per cent) and the United Kingdom (15 per cent).

The preference of young Arabs for the UAE continues an eight-year trend that has seen the country cement its lead, particularly since 2015 when 20 per cent selected the UAE as their preferred country in which to live, a figure that has now more than doubled in 2019.

Young Arabs also see the UAE as a model nation, with 42 per cent stating they would like their country to emulate it, far surpassing any other Arab or Western country. The US and Japan tied in second position at 20 per cent each, followed by Turkey (19 per cent) and Canada (18 per cent) rounding out the top five.

A friend in need is a friend indeed and the UAE impeccably fits the slot. Arab youth view the UAE as a strong ally, with 93 per cent saying the UAE is an ally of their country, surpassing other Arab (Egypt 84 per cent ally; Saudi Arabia 80 per cent) and non-Arab (Turkey 68 per cent, Russia 64 per cent, and US 41 per cent) states.

UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s message on Twitter reflects the generous and encouraging nature of the leadership: “For the 8th year, the Arab youth finds the UAE the best place to work & live in, followed by Canada, the US and Britain. My message to them is the UAE was & will always be your country, a part of a beautiful Arab world that will continue prospering with your energy & aspirations.”

The youths have also expressed their concern about certain serious issues and this needs to be addressed. The most pressing issues among the youth is unemployment and rising living expenses.

About 80% have voiced concerns over education quality and over 50% pointed to mental health issues & easier drug access in their countries.

The UAE’s growing reputation among Arab youth as the best country to live in and for their nations to emulate highlights the forward-looking development strategy and future-focused vision of the UAE leadership, as Sunil John, President of ASDA’A BCW, points out.

The United Arab Emirates is certainly a beacon of hope and a model nation for young people across the region, and for right reasons.