LONDON: The UAE is set to introduce its first Arabic language law, requiring customer-facing businesses to employ Arabic-speaking staff as part of a broader push to strengthen national identity.
The initiative forms part of a comprehensive policy to enhance the role and status of Arabic across the country, with legislation expected to be introduced next year.
Shatha Al Mulla, assistant undersecretary for the National Identity and Arts Sector at the Ministry of Culture, described the law as a crucial step toward promoting wider use of the nation’s official language, particularly among future generations.
“(We) really hope that the law will contribute to strengthening national identity and cultural belonging,” she told The National.
Al Mulla confirmed in April that the ministry was preparing a feasibility study for the draft law, covering 10 key areas including government, the economy and business sector, education and research, and culture and media.
Among its provisions the law would make it mandatory for private sector organizations to employ Arabic-speaking staff, specifically targeting health services, social services, government-facing roles and customer service positions.
It would also require translation services at public conferences and the raising of standards for how Arabic is taught in schools.
Organizations that failed to comply would face penalties, while those that met the requirements would be eligible for incentives.
The proposed law, which has been approved for drafting this year, seeks to address what authorities describe as a “noticeable decline” in the use of Arabic in state institutions and wider society — a trend attributed to the country’s demographic diversity and economic openness.
The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities, with Emiratis comprising only about 12 percent of the total population, making it one of the most diverse countries in the world.
