Boost job creation and help the youth acquire new skills : new report argues

Abstract

A series of discussions on the recently launched African Economic Outlook 2012 kicked off Thursday in Addis Ababa, where approximately 100 participants debated the main challenges and policy options for promoting youth employment. Co-authored by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the OECD Development Centre, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the UN Development Program (UNDP), the report says youth are an opportunity for future economic growth. “Youth in vulnerable employment and working poverty are the largest majority, while discouraged or inactive youth are the most common group in middle-income countries. The discussions emphasized the need for governments to pay serious attention to the demand side of the labor market and create more decent jobs.