E4E Initiative for Arab Youth IFC - World Bank Group

Dahlia KHALIFA Regional Head, E4E Initiative IFC – World Bank Group

Our Vision and Mission

E4E Initiative for Arab Youth aims to provide youth with skills

that are relevant to the marketplace by investing in education,

engaging stakeholders, and enabling solutions so that Arab Youth

earn a better future

The Issues facing Youth in the Arab Region

Arab Youth Unemployment Highest in World

Arab region plagued with 25% youth unemployment, among highest in the world, and 50% of population below age 25

$40-50 Billion Annual Opportunity Cost

Direct opportunity cost of youth unemployment to the Arab region estimated at $40-50 Billion annually

Labor Particitpation Rates Among Lowest in World

Arab region’s labor participation rates amongst lowest worldwide, currently 35% vs. global average of 52%,

and lowest for women

Matching Skills to the Job Market Better is Crucial

E4E Strategy to Drive Youth Employability

Investments

Increase supply of work-ready students

  Investments in university education, Vocational Education & Training (VET) and work-readiness programs

  Investment vehicles to bring in other investors and diversify mechanisms

Enabling Environment

Address operating environment

  In-depth country assessments

  Standards and quality assurance

  Address regulatory disincentives

  Match-making

Advocacy

Changing the mindsets

  Signifying the importance of TVET, entrepreneurship, and work-readiness training

  Enhancing information sharing mechanisms

  Raising awareness   Forming partnerships

Entrepreneurship…Gender…Inclusiveness

Key Success Factor to Enable E4E: Engaging Multiple Actors

“All Hands on Deck”

Cross-Cutting Enablers to Create E4E Eco-system

E4E Sector Focus to Narrow Skills Gap & Enhance Youth Employability

Skill gaps in Egypt’s construction sector

E4E - Pursuing a sector focused strategy

Jordan E4E priority sectors

E4E - Pursuing a sector focused strategy

Tunisia E4E priority sectors

E4E in the Arab world…

  Challenge: Arab youth, like growing numbers of youth elsewhere including in advanced economies, suffer from high unemployment driven in large part by skills incongruent to labor market needs

  Private sector: has role to play both as a provider of quality and relevant education and training, and in collaborating with providers to improve quality of education provision

  Solution: Skills gaps can be addressed both by focusing on sector solutions and by unlocking cross-cutting system enablers

  Call to action: Multiple actors need to take up their roles in addressing the youth employability challenge, working together to implement E4E solutions

E4E Initiative for Arab Youth IFC - World Bank Group

Dahlia KHALIFA Regional Head, E4E Initiative IFC – World Bank Group