Most of the DEC positions around the world are at the national majors in Far East (eg KAL, CAL, EVA, SIA, CCA, CSN, HVN) where your contract as an expat is time limited until their own pilots are ready to take over and you will be sent home. Also in the recession your services will no longer be required. Or they are startups which need pilots of any qualifications to jump start their ops with as little investment as possible. Or they are airlines with high attrition rate so they need replacements fast.
EK is in neither category. Yes some of the pilots will leave EK to be DEC somewhere but they will sacrifice the permanent contract and stable airline seniority and benefits, however most of them are actually planning to stay longer...
It is a good thing that there are so many upgrade slots available in the future and hopefully there will be enough for everyone qualified but in this volatile economy and politics one upgrade training slot might be as big as a whole career.
Although a bit emotional Inciter sends a clear message to potential DEC joiners.
Work very hard and a bit more to prove that you are more qualified with your experience than your FO who is in the company for few years already and knows the airplane and the operations inside out, and is studying really hard to pass all the exams and checks planned in the OMD for his upgrade. Passing the initial screening is just a start.