In today’s unpredictable global environment, powerful nations prioritize strong and diversified economies built on sustainability. This foundation promotes social and political stability, which is sustained by advanced infrastructure, high technological capacity, responsible resource management, and effective officials who know how to deploy capital to secure continuous national strength and maximize human potential.
Consequently, specialized skills and human creativity have been indispensable to nations for many decades. Attracting foreign talent is a global strategy, recognized by European nations after World War II and adopted by all countries keen on boosting their economies.
By offering incentives, including comfort and citizenship, nations transform skilled immigrants into valuable assets and a competitive advantage. For instance, in 2024 alone, Germany granted citizenship to more than 290,000 individuals, including 8,500 Syrians with in-demand specialized skills.
Similarly, Türkiye awards citizenship annually to thousands who invest in and make significant contributions to the local economy. Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman have also embraced this approach, offering citizenship to those with distinguished professions, property ownership or other economic contributions. In particular, the economic development of the UAE shows remarkable progress, with the non-oil sector’s share of the gross domestic product (GDP) reaching about 77.5 percent, highlighting a growing independence from oil.
Globally, countries—including those in the Gulf—prioritize attracting skilled workers and capital. They offer permanent residency or citizenship to encourage integration into the local economy and society. Many even use citizenship as an incentive, sometimes tied to real estate investment, even for buying a single apartment. Kuwait has numerous opportunities to attract foreign capital and investors seeking stability and productive projects.
The main question is: Why the government has yet to amend the restrictive laws affecting the mobility of investors and specialized skills -- a path already adopted by other Gulf states and most countries throughout the world? A strategy to boost the national product and generate significant public revenue involves the vast, undeveloped tracts of land, including long-unused areas in and around the capital. These pieces of land could be allocated to the investment funds, such as the Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS), Zakat House and Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA).
These funds could then be used to develop buildings and projects for sale to foreign investors at preferential or market rates. Utilization of all human capabilities is essential for national growth. Such utilization adds value by stimulating job creation, facilitating knowledge transfer, increasing foreign direct investment, improving infrastructure, diversifying income streams and expanding trade. Nevertheless, this vital economic contribution is contingent upon the establishment of a sophisticated and flexible legal framework. Despite the global crises, security challenges and wars, the world continues to progress. Only astute and skillful leaders will seize these opportunities.
