Reducing unemployment responsibility of all ministries — Katamine

AMMAN — Arab integration is needed to address unemployment through exchanging jobs and expertise, which is a difficult task, especially since around 100 million Arabs are living a state of war, Labour Minister Nidal Katamine said Friday.

At a session on the future of employment, held at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa at the Dead Sea, Katamine noted that the current political situation negatively affects job creation in the region.

Political conditions also prevent regional labour markets from setting strategies, especially Jordan which has been affected by refugee waves for decades, with the most recent involving Syrians, he said.

The refugee influx to Jordan increases the population by 10 per cent every eight years, the minister said, estimating that the Kingdom annually needs around 100,000 jobs.

He said Jordan encourages the private sector to create more jobs, and urges it to reach out to remote areas since its activities are centred in main cities.

Tackling unemployment is the responsibility of all government institutions, each in its field, and is not restricted to the Labour Ministry, Katamine added, stressing the significance of having more women in the workforce.

Speaking at the same session, Ghadah Wali, Egyptian minister of social solidarity, called for investing in education and encouraging vocational training.

She also noted that some young people refuse to work in the private sector, preferring the public sector for its higher job security, which has presented a challenge for the governments of Egypt and other regional countries.

Tareq Al Issa, CEO and deputy chairman of Kuwaiti Agility Logistics, said there is no future in the Middle East without jobs, noting that general policies in the region can improve the business environment and increase investment value.

The session also addressed geographical changes, structural unemployment and technological developments, and their impact on different sectors.