Page 99 - Aamir Rehman - Dubai & Co Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States-McGraw-Hill (2007)

Here to Stay: GCC Market Attractiveness and Risks 83

markets and work for higher wages in the Gulf region. They travel
without their families and send remittances home: the World Bank
estimates that Arab expatriates (both professionals and working-
class) send about $25 billion home each year from the Gulf. After
the United States, Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest source of
remittances. 37 Professionals from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and
other Arab nations comprise the bulk of middle management and
administrative support in offices in GCC countries: middle man-
agers, accountants, office managers, salespeople, and the like. More
fortunate expatriates are able to bring their families to their GCC
country and lead more settled lives. Without the vital MENA talent
pool, GCC economies would come to a standstill.
MENA expatriates find the GCC states compatible with their
backgrounds due largely to language, religion, culture, and access.
The Arabic language, while shared in its most classical and official
form (called al-fusha in Arabic), varies significantly from country to
country. The Egyptian dialect, used commonly in films, music, and
television, pronounces certain letters (including as the j and q) dif-
ferently and uses words (especially in everyday conversation) that
are not from classical or formal Arabic. The Levantine dialect also
has its distinct characteristics, especially in certain everyday words.
The Gulf dialects are closer to classical Arabic but certainly not
identical—Kuwaitis, for example, will ask each other “Ish law-
nak?”—literally, “What is your color?”—rather than the classical
“Kayfa haluk” for “How are you?” Many Saudis, especially those
with Yemeni roots, will pronounce the q as a g. Nonetheless, the key
point is that Arabic speakers can converse and understand one
another despite their differing backgrounds, and this capability is a
huge asset for MENA expatriates in the Gulf. The MENA and Gulf
regions also share a common religion: Islam. While there are some
differences in the practice of Islam across schools of thought (even
within the Sunni schools, as well as between Sunnis and Shiites),
the basics are common, and there is great compatibility among
Muslims. Geographic proximity also makes it easier for MENA
talent to reach the GCC countries and travel home frequently, and
the rise of low-cost airlines is making the two regions ever more
accessible to one another.
While MENA talent looks to the GCC for opportunities, savvy
GCC institutions understand the importance of attracting and