Unemployment has to be met with untraditional solutions based essentially on economic development and rapidly raising its rates to a rate in which job opportunities will be easily provided. This was also agreed in one of the studies that states that the employment programs, applied in Egypt and several developing countries, Should be regarded as programs for controlling unemployment, rather than as programs for eliminating unemployment. This program does not touch upon except few facets of the problem, given that the fund allocated to it is usually limited. These programs also tackle unemployment, particularly youth employment, separately without relating it to the more serious problems that face the national economy. In other words, they present partial solutions for providing sustainable livelihoods and reducing the poverty of some categories. This is not a call for stopping these special programs. Rather it is a call for recognizing the limitations of their effects and for concentrating more efforts in programs for economic development activation within the framework of a comprehensive development process or concept that deals with pushing economy efforts toward export and fostering investment. No doubt that the effective solutions for unemployment lie in accelerating economic development, using untraditional means. Strategies of other national programs can be presented as follows:
First: Provide suitable atmosphere for increasing job opportunities in Egypt through legitimates reforms such as the unified labor law and investment motives.

Second: Developing and establishing integrations mechanism among the different bodies concerned with employment. The link between the type of graduates, their number and the job market includes improving the skills of the newcomers to the labor market and by transforming its needs of employment, as in some North African countries. There mission is to develop and administrate the employment programs and policies of the government, including their different dimensions :( unemployment-employment-training)

Third: Developing human resources. The government has adopted two essential strategies in this respect:
(1) Reconstructing the education system in way that makes it respond to the needs of the job market and (2) training(be it professional, transferable, or specialized)to improves the competency of the human resources in economic development processes.

Fourth: Establish database system for the job market for the integration of the primary data resources affecting the job market, e.g... The number of market newcomers, the requirements of the hiring institutions and unemployment rates.

Fifth: Developing the social trends and beliefs in Egypt (of the youth in particular) by highlighting the value of work and the promotion of competency and team work as well as reinforcing the good quality products. Besides, fostering private enterprise and reducing its risks, especially for the youth.

Egypt can benefit from the experience of other countries which succeeded in achieving this. An over populated country like China, for instance- the population reaching a milliard and two hundred and fifty million. It has been through changes in the economic conditions similar to what happened in Egypt, since it is moving from communism and socialism to free economy.
The Egyptian government, on the other hand, planned to make Port Said a free trade zone, in 1974, right after the war of October 1973, and the return of the migrants. The aim of the free trade zone was to accumulate capital to enable citizens to initiate development, productive and industrial projects. Sadly, this did not happen, instead the results were negative as most of the populace turned to trade, Even the children left school to take up trade which makes them big profits. Which made the government resolves to liquidate this area within five years.

Unemployment in Egypt (1)

Role of the Egyptian Government



This Article has been edited by Abdallah Diwan (Media Team Leader YES Country Network Egypt & board member of Sustainable Development Association)under the supervision of Abdallah Sobeih (YES Regional coordinator for Middle East & North Africa)



Despite all efforts,

Unemployment still comes in the top of the national problems list. An

academic study done by a group working in Cairo Demographic center, directed

by Dr. Hisham Makhlouf, head of the center, states that several

organizations in Egypt are working hard on solving the unemployment problem

and creating job opportunities for graduates who are increasing one year

after another.



The state has formulated various policies to face this problem such as

fostering investment, facilitating loans for new private enterprises,

providing new graduates with five acres of arable land, implementing

transitional programs run by (the ministry of labor force) One of the most

important measures taken in the last few years was the establishment of the

Social Development Fund in 1991, the primary cause underlying its

establishment is mitigating the negative effects of the economic development

program on those who receive limited income. The objectives of establishing

the fund, however, extended to the contribution in solving the unemployment

problem, in general, through implementing the four following programs:

business development, social development, employment, and training programs,

the process of funding which lasted until the end of year 2000, initiated

more than 143 thousand small projects, with 2, 8 Billion pounds, providing

around 392 thousand sustainable jobs, and 117 thousand temporary jobs. It is

worth mentioning as well that the gigantic projects launched by the state

(e.g. Tousky) will provide ample job opportunities, but that take long, long

years.



Given that these efforts were not enough to get over the unemployment

problem, the government has adopted, and starting from 2001, a national

program that aims at creating 800 thousand jobs per annum (government

declaration before the people assembly on the 8th of January, 2002)



In The second half of year 2001,

The state introduced 5 programs for employing 800 youth that can be

stated as follows:

1. Youth employment in the state administrative bodies and institutions and

economic and social institutions program .this program employs 170,000

gradates.



2. Graduates employment in village's information centers, 5 in each village

and 10 in each district. University graduates are to be paid 150 pounds;

institute graduates are to be paid 150 pounds, secondary graduates 100

pounds. This program provides 32 thousand job opportunities.



3. Local development program directed by the (cooperative production

Federation) .It provides 128 thousand jobs. This program is based on

providing loans, with 7% interest. Like social development fund, for

workshops owners. In rural areas and cities, in return for employing

graduates. The workshops owner is to be given 10 thousand pounds for each

job opportunity he provides. The limits for funding 6 job opportunities is

60 thousand pounds.



4. Urgent plan for developing villages and districts program, which was

initiated 9 months ago, by providing each village or district with quarter a

million pounds, and half a million for Cairo, Giza and Qaliobya. The program

costs 1, 2 billion annually, reaching 6 billions in 5 years. It creates 100

thousand job opportunities.



5. Program of the transitional training of 420 thousand youth in ministerial

training centers. Such as (Ministry of Population & Housing, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, etc…). This program is committed to create job opportunities for those trainees, whether being employed in these ministries or being provided with loans to start on small projects. In this respect, the number of state training centers, reached 1237 centers, and they were evaluated in terms of efficiency and the capability of developing in the transitional training area, 300 centers were chosen to be developed by the government, as well as 100 centers that the private sector can benefit from.

500 million pounds were allocated for the training programs, in the 2002-2003 budgets.



To be continued…

Note: Cairo: is the capital and the main city in Egypt.

Giza and Qaliobya are two governorates in Egypt

All the statistics mentioned above are all official and based on official references.



Best Regards,



Abdallah Diwan

Media Team Leader

YES Country Network Egypt

Sustainable Development Association

abdallahdiwan@hotmail.com



Under the supervision of

Abdallah Sobeih

YES Regional coordinator

Middle East & North Africa

abdallah@yesweb.org









Abdallah Sobeih



YES Regional Coordinator

Middle East & North Africa



+20 10 508 3456

http://www.yesweb.org

Unemployment in Egypt (1)

Role of the Egyptian Government



This Article has been edited by Abdallah Diwan (Media Team Leader YES Country Network Egypt & board member of Sustainable Development Association)under the supervision of Abdallah Sobeih (YES Regional coordinator for Middle East & North Africa)



Despite all efforts,

Unemployment still comes in the top of the national problems list. An

academic study done by a group working in Cairo Demographic center, directed

by Dr. Hisham Makhlouf, head of the center, states that several

organizations in Egypt are working hard on solving the unemployment problem

and creating job opportunities for graduates who are increasing one year

after another.



The state has formulated various policies to face this problem such as

fostering investment, facilitating loans for new private enterprises,

providing new graduates with five acres of arable land, implementing

transitional programs run by (the ministry of labor force) One of the most

important measures taken in the last few years was the establishment of the

Social Development Fund in 1991, the primary cause underlying its

establishment is mitigating the negative effects of the economic development

program on those who receive limited income. The objectives of establishing

the fund, however, extended to the contribution in solving the unemployment

problem, in general, through implementing the four following programs:

business development, social development, employment, and training programs,

the process of funding which lasted until the end of year 2000, initiated

more than 143 thousand small projects, with 2, 8 Billion pounds, providing

around 392 thousand sustainable jobs, and 117 thousand temporary jobs. It is

worth mentioning as well that the gigantic projects launched by the state

(e.g. Tousky) will provide ample job opportunities, but that take long, long

years.



Given that these efforts were not enough to get over the unemployment

problem, the government has adopted, and starting from 2001, a national

program that aims at creating 800 thousand jobs per annum (government

declaration before the people assembly on the 8th of January, 2002)



In The second half of year 2001,

The state introduced 5 programs for employing 800 youth that can be

stated as follows:

1. Youth employment in the state administrative bodies and institutions and

economic and social institutions program .this program employs 170,000

gradates.



2. Graduates employment in village's information centers, 5 in each village

and 10 in each district. University graduates are to be paid 150 pounds;

institute graduates are to be paid 150 pounds, secondary graduates 100

pounds. This program provides 32 thousand job opportunities.



3. Local development program directed by the (cooperative production

Federation) .It provides 128 thousand jobs. This program is based on

providing loans, with 7% interest. Like social development fund, for

workshops owners. In rural areas and cities, in return for employing

graduates. The workshops owner is to be given 10 thousand pounds for each

job opportunity he provides. The limits for funding 6 job opportunities is

60 thousand pounds.



4. Urgent plan for developing villages and districts program, which was

initiated 9 months ago, by providing each village or district with quarter a

million pounds, and half a million for Cairo, Giza and Qaliobya. The program

costs 1, 2 billion annually, reaching 6 billions in 5 years. It creates 100

thousand job opportunities.



5. Program of the transitional training of 420 thousand youth in ministerial

training centers. Such as (Ministry of Population & Housing, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, etc…). This program is committed to create job opportunities for those trainees, whether being employed in these ministries or being provided with loans to start on small projects. In this respect, the number of state training centers, reached 1237 centers, and they were evaluated in terms of efficiency and the capability of developing in the transitional training area, 300 centers were chosen to be developed by the government, as well as 100 centers that the private sector can benefit from.

500 million pounds were allocated for the training programs, in the 2002-2003 budgets.



To be continued…

Note: Cairo: is the capital and the main city in Egypt.

Giza and Qaliobya are two governorates in Egypt

All the statistics mentioned above are all official and based on official references.



Best Regards,



Abdallah Diwan

Media Team Leader

YES Country Network Egypt

Sustainable Development Association

abdallahdiwan@hotmail.com



Under the supervision of

Abdallah Sobeih

YES Regional coordinator

Middle East & North Africa

abdallah@yesweb.org









Abdallah Sobeih



YES Regional Coordinator

Middle East & North Africa



+20 10 508 3456

http://www.yesweb.org

Unemployment in Egypt (1)

Role of the Egyptian Government



This Article has been edited by Abdallah Diwan (Media Team Leader YES Country Network Egypt & board member of Sustainable Development Association)under the supervision of Abdallah Sobeih (YES Regional coordinator for Middle East & North Africa)



Despite all efforts,

Unemployment still comes in the top of the national problems list. An

academic study done by a group working in Cairo Demographic center, directed

by Dr. Hisham Makhlouf, head of the center, states that several

organizations in Egypt are working hard on solving the unemployment problem

and creating job opportunities for graduates who are increasing one year

after another.



The state has formulated various policies to face this problem such as

fostering investment, facilitating loans for new private enterprises,

providing new graduates with five acres of arable land, implementing

transitional programs run by (the ministry of labor force) One of the most

important measures taken in the last few years was the establishment of the

Social Development Fund in 1991, the primary cause underlying its

establishment is mitigating the negative effects of the economic development

program on those who receive limited income. The objectives of establishing

the fund, however, extended to the contribution in solving the unemployment

problem, in general, through implementing the four following programs:

business development, social development, employment, and training programs,

the process of funding which lasted until the end of year 2000, initiated

more than 143 thousand small projects, with 2, 8 Billion pounds, providing

around 392 thousand sustainable jobs, and 117 thousand temporary jobs. It is

worth mentioning as well that the gigantic projects launched by the state

(e.g. Tousky) will provide ample job opportunities, but that take long, long

years.



Given that these efforts were not enough to get over the unemployment

problem, the government has adopted, and starting from 2001, a national

program that aims at creating 800 thousand jobs per annum (government

declaration before the people assembly on the 8th of January, 2002)



In The second half of year 2001,

The state introduced 5 programs for employing 800 youth that can be

stated as follows:

1. Youth employment in the state administrative bodies and institutions and

economic and social institutions program .this program employs 170,000

gradates.



2. Graduates employment in village's information centers, 5 in each village

and 10 in each district. University graduates are to be paid 150 pounds;

institute graduates are to be paid 150 pounds, secondary graduates 100

pounds. This program provides 32 thousand job opportunities.



3. Local development program directed by the (cooperative production

Federation) .It provides 128 thousand jobs. This program is based on

providing loans, with 7% interest. Like social development fund, for

workshops owners. In rural areas and cities, in return for employing

graduates. The workshops owner is to be given 10 thousand pounds for each

job opportunity he provides. The limits for funding 6 job opportunities is

60 thousand pounds.



4. Urgent plan for developing villages and districts program, which was

initiated 9 months ago, by providing each village or district with quarter a

million pounds, and half a million for Cairo, Giza and Qaliobya. The program

costs 1, 2 billion annually, reaching 6 billions in 5 years. It creates 100

thousand job opportunities.



5. Program of the transitional training of 420 thousand youth in ministerial

training centers. Such as (Ministry of Population & Housing, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, etc…). This program is committed to create job opportunities for those trainees, whether being employed in these ministries or being provided with loans to start on small projects. In this respect, the number of state training centers, reached 1237 centers, and they were evaluated in terms of efficiency and the capability of developing in the transitional training area, 300 centers were chosen to be developed by the government, as well as 100 centers that the private sector can benefit from.

500 million pounds were allocated for the training programs, in the 2002-2003 budgets.



To be continued…

Note: Cairo: is the capital and the main city in Egypt.

Giza and Qaliobya are two governorates in Egypt

All the statistics mentioned above are all official and based on official references.



Best Regards,



Abdallah Diwan

Media Team Leader

YES Country Network Egypt

Sustainable Development Association

abdallahdiwan@hotmail.com



Under the supervision of

Abdallah Sobeih

YES Regional coordinator

Middle East & North Africa

abdallah@yesweb.org









Abdallah Sobeih



YES Regional Coordinator

Middle East & North Africa



+20 10 508 3456

http://www.yesweb.org

Unemployment in Egypt (1)

Role of the Egyptian Government



This Article has been edited by Abdallah Diwan (Media Team Leader YES Country Network Egypt & board member of Sustainable Development Association)under the supervision of Abdallah Sobeih (YES Regional coordinator for Middle East & North Africa)



Despite all efforts,

Unemployment still comes in the top of the national problems list. An

academic study done by a group working in Cairo Demographic center, directed

by Dr. Hisham Makhlouf, head of the center, states that several

organizations in Egypt are working hard on solving the unemployment problem

and creating job opportunities for graduates who are increasing one year

after another.



The state has formulated various policies to face this problem such as

fostering investment, facilitating loans for new private enterprises,

providing new graduates with five acres of arable land, implementing

transitional programs run by (the ministry of labor force) One of the most

important measures taken in the last few years was the establishment of the

Social Development Fund in 1991, the primary cause underlying its

establishment is mitigating the negative effects of the economic development

program on those who receive limited income. The objectives of establishing

the fund, however, extended to the contribution in solving the unemployment

problem, in general, through implementing the four following programs:

business development, social development, employment, and training programs,

the process of funding which lasted until the end of year 2000, initiated

more than 143 thousand small projects, with 2, 8 Billion pounds, providing

around 392 thousand sustainable jobs, and 117 thousand temporary jobs. It is

worth mentioning as well that the gigantic projects launched by the state

(e.g. Tousky) will provide ample job opportunities, but that take long, long

years.



Given that these efforts were not enough to get over the unemployment

problem, the government has adopted, and starting from 2001, a national

program that aims at creating 800 thousand jobs per annum (government

declaration before the people assembly on the 8th of January, 2002)



In The second half of year 2001,

The state introduced 5 programs for employing 800 youth that can be

stated as follows:

1. Youth employment in the state administrative bodies and institutions and

economic and social institutions program .this program employs 170,000

gradates.



2. Graduates employment in village's information centers, 5 in each village

and 10 in each district. University graduates are to be paid 150 pounds;

institute graduates are to be paid 150 pounds, secondary graduates 100

pounds. This program provides 32 thousand job opportunities.



3. Local development program directed by the (cooperative production

Federation) .It provides 128 thousand jobs. This program is based on

providing loans, with 7% interest. Like social development fund, for

workshops owners. In rural areas and cities, in return for employing

graduates. The workshops owner is to be given 10 thousand pounds for each

job opportunity he provides. The limits for funding 6 job opportunities is

60 thousand pounds.



4. Urgent plan for developing villages and districts program, which was

initiated 9 months ago, by providing each village or district with quarter a

million pounds, and half a million for Cairo, Giza and Qaliobya. The program

costs 1, 2 billion annually, reaching 6 billions in 5 years. It creates 100

thousand job opportunities.



5. Program of the transitional training of 420 thousand youth in ministerial

training centers. Such as (Ministry of Population & Housing, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, etc…). This program is committed to create job opportunities for those trainees, whether being employed in these ministries or being provided with loans to start on small projects. In this respect, the number of state training centers, reached 1237 centers, and they were evaluated in terms of efficiency and the capability of developing in the transitional training area, 300 centers were chosen to be developed by the government, as well as 100 centers that the private sector can benefit from.

500 million pounds were allocated for the training programs, in the 2002-2003 budgets.



To be continued…

Note: Cairo: is the capital and the main city in Egypt.

Giza and Qaliobya are two governorates in Egypt

All the statistics mentioned above are all official and based on official references.



Best Regards,



Abdallah Diwan

Media Team Leader

YES Country Network Egypt

Sustainable Development Association

abdallahdiwan@hotmail.com



Under the supervision of

Abdallah Sobeih

YES Regional coordinator

Middle East & North Africa

abdallah@yesweb.org









Abdallah Sobeih



YES Regional Coordinator

Middle East & North Africa



+20 10 508 3456

http://www.yesweb.org