Sharjah 24 – WAM: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, chaired the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) in 2024. The meeting was attended by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice Chair of the ETCC Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors approved AED6.4 billion in an estimated budget for the Nafis programme for 2024. The meeting also approved the 2024 Emiratisation targets for the private sector, aligning with UAE leadership directives and the Council's strategy. This key objective aims for 36,000 Emirati citizens to join the private sector workforce this year.
The meeting, which was held at the Council's HQ, was attended by Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention; Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Shamma bint Sohail bin Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development; Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation; Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology; Jassem Mohammed Buatabh Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Department of Finance- Abu Dhabi; Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government; and Ghannam Butti Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of the Emirates Talent Competitiveness Council.
The Board of Directors reviewed the most important achievements of the Council and the Nafis programme during 2023 with the aim of enhancing the participation of citizens in the private sector. The number of citizens in the private sector reached approximately 92,000 by the end of 2023, with the number of citizens who joined the private sector since the launch of Nafis and remained employed until the end of 2023 exceeded 62,000.
The Board of Directors commended the collaborative efforts of all parties concerned and private sector companies, leading to a significant increase of 41,800 citizens joining the private sector in 2023.The total amount paid to the beneficiaries of the Nafis programme until the end of December reached AED4.2 billion. There was also a noticeable increase in the number of partnerships, agreements and memorandums of understanding signed with strategic partners, which reached more than 51 agreements with government, semi-government and private entities in all economic sectors, including aviation, education, training, health, investment, industry and others.
The Board further assessed the Nafis programme's financial and economic impact, noting the qualitative shift it has engendered in perceptions of Emirati private sector employment.
The meeting marked the launch of the national platform and a presentation by the Cyber Security Council on the first phase results of the Nafis project. This platform will serve as a national information and data hub, enabling access for relevant government agencies. This, in turn, will strengthen the integrated system for digital participation and collaboration between federal, local authorities, and the private sector, empowering them to contribute effectively to policy and strategy development.
The Council also seeks, through the platform, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of all initiatives and programmes of the Emirates Talent Competitiveness Council.
Sheikh Mansour commended the efforts of the Council during the previous period and its achievements, in addition to the qualitative initiatives it's implementing to support and empower national cadres to work in the private sector. He praised the strong collaboration between the Emirates Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) and its government and private sector partners, which has demonstrably contributed to Emiratisation efforts in the country. His Highness emphasised the need to redouble efforts in creating more and better employment opportunities for citizens within the private sector.
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