Youth unemployment and the Arab Spring

From Emergent Africa Sat Feb 23 2013, 21:58:00

In MakingIt Magazine:

Many observers see youth unemployment as the major reason behind the recent popular uprisings in a number of Arab countries. Increasing unemployment over the past two decades has led to frustration among young people, especially among university graduates. Frustration among unemployed youth spilled out into the streets at the beginning of 2011, leading to rebellions against the existing political regimes in Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. Civil disorder and strikes have exacerbated the situation, and reduced prospects for a rapid economic recovery. The unemployment crisis is being aggravated by low capital flows and a sharp decline in exports, resulting from the slowdown in investment and growth in the economies of the region's main trading partners. The situation for many countries is further complicated by a sharp contraction in employment opportunities in Europe, as well as the Gulf countries - a consequence of the global economic crisis. Finding new job opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is now more pressing than at any other time in the past. The problem is naturally worst in those countries where the risk of increased poverty is most prominent...[continue reading]

[view whole blog post ]
 See More    |     Report Abuse


You might also be interested in the following news stories:

Africa:  At Least 40 African Migrants Die As Boat Sinks Off Tunisia (news)
The New Times
23 October 2025

At least 40 migrants from sub-Saharan African countries have died after their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia on Wednesday, in one of the deadliest maritime tragedies in the region this year, ... [read more]

Tunisia:  Tunisian Twins Bissan and Bilsan Kouka Win 9th Arab Reading Challenge in Dubai (news)
Tunis Afrique Presse
23 October 2025

Tunisian twins Bissan and Bilsan Kouka won the 9th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge (ARC 2025), during the closing ceremony held on Thursday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The award was ... [read more]

Tunisie:  Les jumelles Bissan et Bilsan Kouka sacrées championnes du Défi de la Lecture Arabe 2025 (news)
La Presse
23 October 2025

Les jumelles tunisiennes Bissan et Bilsan Kouka ont été couronnées championnes du Défi de la Lecture Arabe 2025, lors de la cérémonie de clôture tenue ... [read more]



blogAfrica is allAfrica.com's platform to help you keep an ear on the African blogosphere. We draw diverse voices from around the world who post regularly and insightfully about African issues. Bloggers, submit your blog's rss-feed!