Which is the most preferred country for young Arabs?

Nearly one in four young Arabs in the Middle East consider the UAE as their most favoured nation to live in and regard it as a model country that is economically secure, according to new research. 

The research also found that the UAE was ranked higher than the United States and many European economies when it came to stability, safety, and suitability for setting up a business.

These and other findings were the result of the annual Asdaa Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey, which conducted interviews with 3,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 in 16 countries in the region.

According to the survey, the strength of the UAE’s image among Arab youth stems primarily from the perception that it is a safe and secure country that offers economic opportunities.

In addition, 23 percent of the Arab youth said the UAE was the country they would most like their own nation to emulate, and 24 percent of respondents said the UAE was the top business destination in the Arab region, followed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

It’s not surprising, then, that the participants chose the following as the “most associated phrases” with the UAE:

1. Safe and secure – 36 per cent
   
   
2. Has a growing economy – 29 per cent
   
   
3. Wide range of work opportunities - 29 per cent
   
   
4. Generous salary packages – 29 per cent.
   
   

Here are the other highlights of the survey, which conducted interviews with 3,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 in 16 countries in the region.

• An overwhelming majority of young Arabs reject Daesh (ISIS) and believe the group will fail to establish an Islamic state.
  
  
• Lack of jobs and opportunities is seen as the number one recruitment driver for Daesh
  
  
• Many young Arabs believe Sunni-Shia relations are deteriorating and that religion plays too big of a role in the Middle East.
  
  
• Saudi Arabia, UAE and the US are seen as top allies in the region, while Iran’s influence is on the rise.
  
  
• Young Arabs are divided on the Iranian nuke deal and the Syrian conflict.
  
  
• Five years after fighting for political freedom during the Arab Spring, today most young Arabs prioritize stability over democracy.
  
  
• Arab youth want their leaders to do more to improve the personal freedoms and human rights of citizens, particularly of women.
  
  
• Arab youth are increasingly concerned about falling oil prices, but most still believe they are entitled to subsidized energy.
  
  
• More young Arabs get their daily news online rather than from television or print media.