Amman, Jordan: Seeking to address the highest youth joblessness rates in the world, the International Youth Foundation convened a meeting of experts from across the Middle East and North Africa to identify long-term solutions to the region’s youth unemployment crisis. Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, the two-day meeting was an initiative of the World Bank’s Global Partnership to Promote Youth Employment and Employability. IYF was joined by the MENA Child Protection Initiative of the Arab Urban Development Institute, the Jordan River Foundation, and the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development as co-hosts of the event, with Aramex as the official corporate sponsor.

 

“There is a growing sense of urgency to tackle this youth unemployment crisis, with one in four of our young people in this area of the world unable to find jobs or improve their prospects,” said Ahmed Al-Salloum, Director General of the Arab Urban Development Institute, a network of over 400 municipalities across the Middle East and North Africa. “This regional summit offers an invaluable opportunity to move forward together on this critical concern, which is particularly acute in the region’s urban areas, and requires the actions of municipalities and local authorities to complement the efforts of national government.” “Young people under the age of 25 – representing 65% of the population in the Middle East and North Africa – are a key ingredient for the region’s social and economic growth,” added Bill Reese, IYF’s President and CEO; “but only if we work together to ensure they have access to the training and the opportunities they need to get decent jobs and realize a brighter future.”