Unemployment, Underemployment and vulnerable employment in West Africa: critical assesment and strategic orientations

Abstract

This study critically reviews the unemployment situation in West Africa and proposes strategic directions to help create decent jobs in a context where the majority of African countries are showing relatively high growth despite the slowdown in the international economy. Analyses show that West Africa has recorded real growth of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) varying between 2% and 7% over the last ten years. This report was reviewed by experts at the Thirteenth Intergovernmental Committee of Experts for West Africa, from 18 to 19 March 2010 in Dakar, Republic of Senegal. The experts provided comments and recommendations which further strengthened this publication.