Le premier magazine international entre les Emirats arabes unis et la France, notamment entre Abu Dhabi, Dubaï et Paris.
June 2023 By Jérôme Lamy
Very connected to her electoral constituents and their daily concerns, Amelia Lakrafi has gained the confidence of French residents in the United Arab Emirates as well as of the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron. The deputy for the 10th constituency of French Nationals Living Abroad will wear the colours of Presidential Majority once more, during the next general elections (5 and 19 June) to run for a second term.
In life, as in the National Assembly, Amelia Lakrafi has kept up a winning approach. A brilliant Manager for an IT security company, Amelia Lakrafi belongs to a select group of MPs who emerged from organisations that are not associated with government, to take advantage of Emmanuel Macron’s surprise victory in 2017 and sit in the National Assembly. She largely belongs to this small circle of new members who have succeeded in being elected.
With more presence in her Constituencies than in the media, Amelia Lakrafi has won the trust of French residents in the United Arab Emirates, as well as of the Emirati authorities and the President of the Republic, whom she advises. As the President of the France - United Arab Emirates Parliamentary Friendship Group, she has taken a very proactive role working arm in arm with the French people in the face of the health crisis. This former entrepreneur has also helped entrepreneurs develop their network, especially for local businesses.
But the major and founding aspect of her first parliamentary experience - it would be surprising if the French did not renew their support for her for a second term - is the creation of the Fédération Internationale des Bienfaisances et Entraides des Français résidents à l'étranger (FIBRE). “Not all the French abroad are wealthy expatriates,” she says, reconciliatory of the French and their politics. Noble and just. Just like Amelia Lakrafi’s commitment.
Can you sum up your progress in the United Arab Emirates since your election in 2017 as the Member of Parliament for the 10th constituency of French nationals living abroad?
I immediately saw the United Arab Emirates as one of the most important countries in my electoral domain. Here was the second largest French community after Lebanon, which has now reversed, and before Madagascar. It is an important partner to France with a naval base and prolific economic relations. One of the first trips I made to my Ward was to the Emirates on the occasion of the visit of the President of the Republic in November 2017 for the inauguration of the Louvre at Abu Dhabi. I immediately wanted to become the Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group in that country. On each visit, in addition to the French community, I meet Emirati officials, deputies and ministers. And I like to push a few topics that I feel are necessary.
More and more French people have chosen to move to Dubai to start their own business. How do you explain this enthusiasm?
Oui, c’est vrai qu’en plus d’une population plus traditionnelle d’expatriés employés par des entreprises ou des grands groupes présents aux Emirats arabes unis, on observe que beaucoup de jeunes Français s’expatrient à Dubaï ou Abu Dhabi car ils y trouvent un environnement professionnel plus dynamique et parfois plus accessible pour eux. Mais c’est surtout le goût de l’aventure dans un univers culturel et économique très stimulant qui pousse de nombreux jeunes gens à s’y expatrier. Par ailleurs, de nombreux Français du Liban sont aussi partis y travailler dernièrement du fait de la crise sans précédent que connaît le Liban. La communauté française des Emirats est ainsi devenue la première de ma circonscription.
How do you support these entrepreneurs?
I am trying to help the French community by working to further increase the flow of business between our two countries but also by encouraging the development of a French network of schools in the country because it must be able to welcome the children of all these new expats! I regret that the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi is rather underrated. I relay these observations to the highest level of the state when I think it necessary.
It is often forgotten, but social assistance for French residents living outside the metropolis is also one of the major challenges of your term of office...
Effectivement, tous les Français de l’étranger ne sont pas de richissimes expatriés comme on le croit souvent. Dans ma circonscription, où résident par ailleurs de nombreux bi-nationaux, il y a des situations sociales très diverses et de très nombreux Français dans le besoin. Je pousse pour que les aides sociales soient augmentées, je suis heureuse que la majorité présidentielle ait multipliée par trois la subvention aux OLES (association d’entraide pour les français en difficulté à l’étranger) et qu’il y ait aussi plus de transparence dans leur attribution. Enfin, j’encourage les OLES à soutenir et à mieux accompagner les Français les plus fragilisés au moyen notamment de la FIBRE (fédération internationale des bienfaisances et entraides), l’association dont je suis la Présidente d’honneur.
In July 2020, you launched the Fédération Internationale des Bienfaisances et Entraides des Français résidant à l’étranger (FIBRE) – Charity and Mutual Aid for French Residents Abroad. Obviously, this is a major initiative in your fight for more social benefits....
It is indeed an initiative that comes from the idea that the OLES of the world operate independently from each other. And this is normal because they were usually created by French people who were living in these countries over a long period of time, so they were totally local initiatives. However, working in unison people become stronger, and I am convinced that a network of associations acting in synergy will have more weight for obtaining funding and for action. I was immediately seduced by all those French women who have initiatives to help others. The French abroad often have a real social backbone and a big heart.
You are the president of the France - Unites Arab Emirates Parliamentary Friendship Group. Can you explain its role? – Emirats arabes unis. Pouvez-vous nous expliquer son rôle?
Je suis effectivement très honorée de présider ce groupe d’amitié. Le but d’un tel groupe d’amitié parlementaire est de contribuer à développer les relations d’amitié, la coopération avec un autre pays dans les domaines culturel, économique, politique entre autres. De développer aussi les relations entre parlementaires des deux pays. Nous avons beaucoup travaillé avec l’ambassade des EAU à Paris pour cela ainsi qu’avec notre ambassade à Abou Dabi. L’exposition universelle à Dubaï a donné une opportunité aux Français de découvrir ce pays. J’ai d’ailleurs organisé l’automne dernier une réunion du groupe d’amitié autour du commissaire du Pavillon France et de nombreux députés ont déjà pu se rendre à Dubaï pour visiter notre Pavillon!
You are fulfilling your first term as a member of Parliament. How was this learning curve?
Like all newly elected members of Parliament in 2017, I came from an organisation with no relation to government and never imagined myself representing my fellow citizens in Parliament. It was obviously a great honour but also a great deal of responsibility. I wanted, during my term in office, as in life, to be close to people, to listen and always to work as a team, with and for my compatriots, I quickly set up several digital tools and created several associations to help with some of the difficulties of everyday life, such as having a postal address in France with the creation of the service Maison des Français de l'Etranger (mfe@mfe.paris). I have created a website, (coci.fr for citizens' committee) a dedicated tool that I make available for suggestions and statements. I have also regularly offered surveys and questionnaires on very targeted topics such as health or administrative simplification.
The President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron achieved a score of 45.18% of the vote in the first presidential election in your constituency before being acclaimed in the second round. How do you explain such a success? Comment expliquez-vous un tel succès ?
French expatriates are well aware - perhaps more than in France - of the spirit of reform that drives the President and are more often in tune with his desire to modernize our country. I think they are also proud of his international work and of his way of exemplifying France, of his courage and self-denial. Since the health crisis, French expatriates have experienced many difficulties: they know however that the President is listening to them. Given the exceptional conditions that have marked his term of office, in particular the Yellow-Vest crisis, pensions, the Covid-19 pandemic and ending the war in Ukraine, our President has demonstrated himself as an extraordinary Head of State who knows how to make difficult decisions. This five-year period was also marked by numerous structural reforms in the economic, societal and environmental sectors, as well as a real return of France to the international scene.
Will you yourself be a candidate for your successor in the next legislative deadlines?
It is an honour to represent the French in the National Assembly. There is still so much to do! I have strongly attached myself to all those French people within my electoral domain whom I have tried to help to the best of my ability since the beginning of the health crisis, which has caused many difficulties for them. And there are many funding projects which I want to continue working on, such as violence against women, female entrepreneurship, the right to a bank account and the health of French people abroad.
Can you tell us about educational and cultural opportunities for French residents of the United Arab Emirates??
The French Institute and the French Alliances present in the Emirates are extremely dynamic and play a leading role with regards to culture for the French community. In November 2020, I had the honour of attending the inauguration of the French bookstore at the Alliance française d'Abou Dabi, which is the only French bookstore in the Gulf. The schooling possibilities already seem abundant since there are no fewer than 7 French educational institutions. However, as the French population in the Emirates is growing rapidly and is rather young, it is necessary to ensure that this network develops in order to meet this growing demand. I am very attentive to anything that can foster the emergence or development of the private sector in this field because it is the only way to allow our network of schools to grow.
French Tech, the French startup movement, is a real signature movement of France abroad. Does this ecosystem exist in the United Arab Emirates??
Yes, there is a French Tech in Dubai that brings together French entrepreneurs from the digital economy. It was recently renamed “French Tech United Arab Emirates”. I am pleased, as a former leader of a cybersecurity company, that Elodie Robin-Guillerm, a competent and dynamic woman, has been appointed President. I actively advocate for women in the digital economy and technology.
Taxation is a real challenge for French people living abroad...…
Taxation is an issue for all French people in general. I would particularly like us to stop considering an apartment kept in France as a secondary residence, by developing the concept of a “fallback residence”. Some French people may have to leave their country of residence abroad overnight when their employment contract ends, particularly in the Gulf countries. For those who can afford it, keeping an apartment in France is a security.
