DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 16th Jul, 2026) The United Arab Emirates showcased its pioneering experience in developing its labour market at the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting (LEMM) 2026, highlighting its approach, which centres on building partnerships between the government and the private sector, adopting agile legislation, and investing in technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, participated in the meeting, hosted by India as part of its Chairship of the Group this year.
Al Awar said that enhancing social protection, supporting labour markets, empowering women, enabling skills development, and leveraging digital technologies are all interconnected pillars for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable labour markets.
He said the UAE had built a labour market based on cooperation between the government and private sector, attracting international talent, developing a flexible legislative framework and keeping pace with economic and technological change.
The UAE is home to workers from more than 200 nationalities, making it one of the world’s most diverse labour markets, he added.
“This approach has made it possible to achieve remarkable results over the past five years, as the size of the workforce in the private sector more than doubled, the number of registered companies increased by 46 percent, and women’s participation in the labour market grew by 109 percent,” he explained.
He said the figures reflected the impact of national policies in supporting economic growth and creating jobs.
“Artificial intelligence offers governments a strategic tool enabling them to transition from automating services to anticipating labour market needs, identifying future skills, enhancing compliance, and supporting data-driven decision-making,” Dr. Al Awar continued.
The UAE is moving towards an advanced stage, employing AI to provide innovative services for workers and the business sector, he explained. This enhances the government’s capabilities in predictive analysis of labour markets and risk mitigation to build a more responsive, proactive, and human-centric government.
Dr. Al Awar showcased the UAE’s efforts in employing technology to enhance protection for workers using comprehensive digital platforms that support wage protection, occupational health and safety, and labour dispute settlement. These platforms also enhance transparency in the labour market and use predictive analytics and smart monitoring to identify risks in work environments and intervene early.
“The social security ecosystem in the UAE continues to evolve to keep pace with the expansion of modern work settings, particularly digital platform work,” he said. “By doing so, it can offer greater opportunities for employment, ensure decent work conditions, reinforce fairness, and provide appropriate protection for all workers.”
The future of work relies on investing in human capital and skills development, Dr. Al Awar affirmed, noting that the AI-powered UAE Skills platform helps anticipate future jobs and aligns the education and training system with labour market needs.
Dr. Al Awar expressed the UAE’s appreciation for India’s efforts in leading the activities of the BRICS Group and for organising and hosting the Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting. He reaffirmed the importance of the Indian Presidency’s role in advancing cooperation among member states, fostering dialogue on the future of labour markets, and focusing on key priorities that reflect the challenges and opportunities they face.
At the conclusion of the summit, member states adopted the Declaration of the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting, reflecting their agreement on the priorities on which to cooperate in the fields of labour and employment, including social protection, skills development, enhancing women’s participation, and digital transformation in the labour market.
The UAE welcomed the adoption of the Declaration, affirming its commitment to cooperating with member states in the Group to develop joint solutions that support more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable labour markets.
