ChChapter 2: Origins and influences of nationality law between those who have difficulty working, cannot own property or access credit and those who receive regular cash pay-outs from the country’s oil revenue simply by virtue of their nationality. Other, altogether different, economic considerations come into play in the nationality policy elsewhere in the MENA region, such as Lebanon and Yemen, which both have a large emigrant Diasporas. In such circumstances, it can be in the state’s interest to protect the link between the emigrant (or his foreign wealth) and the country of origin through the passing on of nationality by descent into perpetuity, plus generous provisions relating to the (re)acquisition of nationality by people of Lebanese or Yemeni ancestry. Such considerations may also help to explain the increased tolerance of dual nationality and the distinct lack of interest by many states to enforce rules relating to the loss of nationality in the context of long-term residence abroad or the failure to apply for permission to acquire a second nationality. A different type of influence on nationality policy in the MENA region and one which should not be underestimated today, is that of international standards and of the international community. As demonstrated in chapter 1, state sovereignty in the field of nationality law is now restricted by a number of specific limits set by international law, including those relating to non-discrimination and the avoidance 75