Over 100 million young people will enter the jobs market in the next 10 years in the Arab world even as the unemployment figures in the region have reached dangerously high level, says a Young Arab Leaders (YAL) statement.

More than a quarter of Arabs under 29 are jobless, YAL said quoting recent studies.

“Outside sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab world has the world’s highest average unemployment rate, estimated at 13 percent. Among our youth and recent graduates, it is more than double that figure,” the statement said.

Jobs growth will be the topic of focus during the 5th Annual Forum of Young Arab Leaders (YAL) that will be held on November 5 and 6 in ‘The Address’ Hotel in Downtown - Dubai.

This year’s YAL forum will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and will be attended by over 300 Arab and international personalities, including young entrepreneurs from the public and private sectors, academia, and non-governmental organizations.

The forum has previously played an important role in grooming a young generation of Arab leaders, fostering their development and coordinating regional programs through member-led initiatives.

It is the goal of Young Arab Leaders to bring together various opinions from all over the Arab region to support entrepreneurship and innovation, in turn encouraging Arab populations to pursue bold paths to social and economic advancement, the statement said.  It is that confidence; organisers say that will then serve to aid local communities in creating new, modern jobs whilst aligning regional economies with the global business climate.

Key speakers at this year’s event include Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC) and CEO of Mashreq Bank; Najla Al-Awadhi, FNC member and chief executive for Satellite Channels Affairs at the Dubai Media and Director of Dubai One satellite channel and board member of YAL; Mohammad Al-Madi, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic); Dr Naif Al Mutawaa, CEO of Teshkeel Media Group, Member of the Young Arab Leaders Kuwait Board of Directors; and Fadi Ghandour, CEO Aramex.

Many local, Arab and foreign personalities are also set to attend and share with young entrepreneurs their ideas and experience in the establishment of entrepreneurship in modern economies. – TradeArabia News Service