DUBAI, Sept. 18 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates will give favorable treatment to a local conglomerate after pledging on Saturday to hire thousands of citizens, days after the government unveiled a $ 6.5 billion plan to attract more Emiratis into the private sector.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum thanked shopping mall giant Majid Al Futtaim on Twitter for his commitment and said he would be given priority in government contracts.

Majid Al Futtaim, who generated 15.6 billion dirhams ($ 4.25 billion) in sales in the first half, announced earlier that he would hire 3,000 Emiratis over the next five years.

“We have a collective sense of responsibility to support and develop the talented and ambitious national workforce that exists in the UAE,” said Managing Director Alain Bejjani.

About 411 of the 13,700 employees it currently employs in the United Arab Emirates were Emirati, said the company, which is one of the largest mall operators in the Middle East.

Majid Al Futtaim also operates in Africa and Central Asia and in sectors such as hospitality, property development and project management.

The government announced on Sunday that it would spend 24 billion dirhams ($ 6.5 billion) on benefits and subsidies to bring 75,000 Emiratis into the private sector over the next five years.

Most Emiratis currently hold government positions where wages, benefits and working hours are often better than in the private sector where most positions are held by foreigners.

($ 1 = 3.6728 UAE dirhams)

Writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Christina Fincher

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