ABSTRACT
The Arab Gulf states share many of the characteristics of human resources in Third World countries. It is understood, of course, that in general, manpower problems vary among the Gulf States, but not drastically. Making projections of socio-economic phenomena is a difficult and risky business but preparing a manpower projection for the Gulf States is inherently treacherous. In what follows, it is proposed to discuss critically the salient features of the projections made in an ambitious study on manpower requirements and migration in the Arab region. This study was carried out by the World Bank over a period of several years and is important in two respects: the expertise and facilities made available for the study by the World Bank and the access the Bank enjoys to data in the Gulf states. The financial abundance of Arab Gulf states has made it possible to buy everything for sale, including manpower.
