Proper planning can develop labour productivity in UAE

DUBAI / WAM

The National Productivity Forum discussed priorities, actions and policies required to enhance productivity on the macroeconomic and economic levels, as well as facilities and employment activities in the UAE labour market. The platform aimed to establish a new norm in the business sector to consolidate innovation and employ new technologies so as to contribute to consolidating the UAE’s position on the global economy map. It also reviewed the best international practices in the field of productivity.
The forum was organised by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and in partnership with the Dubai Economic Council on Monday at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai under the patronage of Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Ghobash said, “Convening the National Productivity Forum coincides with the launch of a new phase of a national action in pursuit of the UAE 2021 vision, and to approach the future government initiative, which is based on the foundations of developing human resources and create high-level educational systems, which supports our vision of reaching a competitive knowledge-based economy, whose core is the UAE citizen.”
He pointed out during his opening speech the clear vision of the UAE leadership to implement the future government initiative, which leads the UAE towards the post-oil era, through the development of the economic sectors characterised with high added service value and a high level of productivity to ensure and sustain stable economic growth pace, diversify sources of income and enhance social welfare.
“Restructuring the Ministry of Labour to become the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation came to focus on workforce development in the labour market and qualify them to achieve our competitive knowledge-based economy vision on the one hand, and enable citizens to actively participate in the private sector and lead the transition towards an economy that had been diversified and sustainable, on the other hand,” Ghobash said.
He stressed that the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation seeks to enhance the productivity of the labour market by achieving higher economic benefits through less labour dependency in term of quantity but focus on quality by functioning more efficiently and using the latest tools and techniques to increase productivity, which is parallel with the strengthening of the ministry partnerships with other government entities and private institutions.”
Proper planning, the minister believes, has great effect on developing the labour productivity in the UAE which requires a clear approach to the current situation to absorb the challenges that must be handled with transparency and professionalism in order to enhance productivity levels at various levels, whether on an individual perspective or a firm or general economic activities, or in terms macroeconomic productivity.
For his part, Hani Rashid Al Hamli, Secretary-General of the Dubai Economic Council said during his speech, “Productivity is a main objective in the thriving of all nations, as prompt ones were able to achieve breakthroughs in production quality, exports and growth and maintain its position in the global market via productivity and their continuous efforts to raise workers’ productivity.”
“Productivity is the main key to any development process and would be determined by critical variables in the process of economic growth, such as the future economic efficiency parameters, economic diversification, and raising of the level of people’s livelihood,” he said.
“The UAE upon the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is witnessing an economic boom, thanks to the strong vision and clear strategies put forth to reach the UAE 2021 vision, which aims to create a suitable environment to enhance the competitiveness.”
Al Hamli hoped that the event contributes towards establishing a quantum leap in productivity in general and increase production levels to reach new consistent measures with international standards, to be able to consolidate innovation and engage new technology to raise UAE’s economic position globally.
The keynote speech of the forum discussed global competitiveness and labour productivity from perspectives of high income economies. The session was chaired by Dr. Faris Abdul Razak, Assistant Secretary-General for the Economic Affairs at the Dubai Economic Council, and Prof. Catherine Mann, Chief Economist at OECD.
The first session discussed assessing the labour productivity in the UAE, which was chaired by Dr. Omar Al Nuaimi, Assistant Under-Secretery for Policies and Strategy at the MOHRE, and presented by Dr. Ibrahim El Badawi – Director at the Economic Policy & Research centre – Dubai Economic Council, and Dr. Wifag Adnan, Assistant Professor – College of Business at Zayed University.
The second session discussed labour productivity, innovation and transition to a knowledge based economy and was chaired by Trevor McFarlane, Founder & Chef Executive, Emerging Markets Intelligence & Research. The session saw a presentation from Dr. Hum Sin Hoon, Deputy Dean of Business School at the National University of Singapore, and another from Dr. Raimundo Soto, Associate Prof. Instituto Economia Pontificia.