A/HRC/14/43/Add.3 IV. Main challenges in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance A. National identity and the granting of citizenship 25. The United Arab Emirates is today one of the largest recipient countries of foreign workers and has as such become one of the most multicultural countries on earth. It is therefore a unique country where nationals are a numerical minority in their own country. The influx of foreign workers, which has been encouraged by the Government to satisfy the demands of a fast-growing economy, has significantly contributed to the building of a prosperous country. Yet, it has also created tremendous challenges for the Emirati society in terms of national identity, social integration and capacity for absorption. 26. Throughout the mission of the Special Rapporteur, the question of the definition and preservation of Emirati national identity was often put forward. There are indeed serious concerns among Emirati citizens that this significant influx of foreign workers, both skilled and unskilled, has somehow altered the national identity of the country. Emirati citizens are of the view that the immigration policy ought to be controlled more firmly in order to allow for a better selection of people entering the country and above all to preserve the main features of the Emirati society, which were sometimes referred to as Arab and Islamic. Fears were expressed that the country may one day be taken over by foreign workers, in particular by Indians and Pakistanis, who constitute approximately 50 per cent of the total population. In addition, there was also resentment expressed against Western expatriates who are granted most managerial posts and are therefore better remunerated than Emirati citizens. 27. The Special Rapporteur believes that these concerns, if unaddressed in a timely and open manner by the Government, could alter the peaceful coexistence of the great variety of ethnic and national groups residing in the country. This could indeed lead to generalized resentment against foreigners in the United Arab Emirates and thus to overt xenophobic attitudes. 28. This question has links to, inter alia, the granting of citizenship and related rights. While the granting of citizenship and the privileges attached thereto remain within the domestic jurisdiction of each State, it is always desirable that a clear, consistent and transparent policy be put in place. In addition, bearing in mind that human rights are, in principle, to be enjoyed by all persons, a fair and just balance should be reached between rights conferred to nationals and those conferred to non-nationals. At present, given the fact that non-citizens are allowed to reside in the United Arab Emirates only if they are in possession of a valid contract of employment, some individuals have found themselves in a vulnerable situation upon loss of employment, in spite of the fact that they were born and raised in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, it would appear that persons who have lawfully lived in the country for fairly long periods of time have nonetheless been unable to qualify for Emirati citizenship. Among some of them, it was felt that not belonging to the ethnic group of the majority of nationals of the United Arab Emirates or not adhering to the official religion was a distinct disadvantage preventing them from obtaining citizenship. 29. Given the unique nature of the United Arab Emirates, the Special Rapporteur is of the view that the current policy on the granting of citizenship and related rights ought to be reconsidered in line with relevant international law, so as to ensure non-discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin. As reaffirmed by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its general recommendation No. 30 (2004), States parties should “ensure that particular groups of non-citizens are not GE.10-12576 9