External publications

Socially inclusive fourth industrial revolution: fostering youth employment in the Middle East and North Africa

Sinanoğlu, Semuhi
External Publications (2018)

in: Lorenzo Kamel / Asli Selin Okyay (eds.), Realizing Youth Potential in the Mediterranean: Unlocking Opportunities, Overcoming Challenges, Rome: Istituto Affari Internazionali, 101-112

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The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the youngest regions in the world with more than 60 per cent of its population under the age of 29. Current economies cannot generate enough jobs for this “youth bulge”. While the global youth unemployment rate was 13.8 per cent in 2017, the MENA region experienced one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world at 29.6 per cent (see Figure 1), more than double the global average. The demographic projections suggest an  increase of the region’s population by more than a quarter by 2030, which will amplify the pressure on labour markets. Another shock looms on the horizon for the MENA economies: fourth industrial revolution. Disruptive innovations such as automation and robotics, 3D printing, the Internet of Things; big data analytics and machine learning, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality; drones and precision agriculture among others will pose unprecedented challenges to the labour markets and educational institutions in the region. This chapter aims to shed light on programmes/initiatives that address the persistent issue of youth unemployment on the cusp of a new industrial revolution, with a focus on skill acquisition and employability.