The UAE and Qatar have begun efforts to address the long-standing problems of stateless persons and to reduce domestic pressure and criticism from the international human rights community, which has sought to establish a true identity and grant citizenship to eligible individuals.
The GCC countries have hosted large numbers of nations for generations, a population that failed to obtain citizenship at the time of the region’s formation in the 20th century, but some countries have now begun to rectify the situation.
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said in a speech on October 26th that the Qatari government would soon amend its citizenship laws to include stateless residents such as members of the Al-Mara tribe.
Slowing down the granting of citizenship to non-citizens in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
But Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are slower in issuing their visas, delaying the citizenship of their population compared to the Bhutanese in Qatar or the UAE. Despite the Golden Visa program and the new citizenship requirement for people with exceptional talents, Saudi Arabia is reluctant to become a fast-paced citizen.
Ordinary Saudis (currently excluded from the social welfare system) may object to the influx of new citizens who will compete for government jobs and services. Kuwait, meanwhile, has been slower in liberalizing visa and citizenship laws, and its residents want to reduce the number of foreigners living in the country.
Read more: A group of women complained to the Qatari authorities about a controversial examination: https://www.paksahafat.com/en/?p=15301
Challenges facing Saudi Arabia
However, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates’ desire for foreign citizenship will increase internal and external pressures on Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to follow, which may also affect their human rights reputation. In the case of Kuwait, the strangers population may be encouraged to stage protests, strikes and riots.
The strangers living in Saudi Arabia may dare to do what is happening in Qatar and the UAE and push for similar changes in the Saudi government, but they will probably face resistance and even repression. Such a campaign damages Saudi Arabia’s international reputation, which may affect the attraction of foreign investors in the country. It could also damage Saudi Arabia’s relations with some of its Western allies, such as the United States.