Qatar Economic Forum Highlights Importance of Empowering Youth, Reducing Unemployment

Doha: The 4th Qatar Economic Forum highlighted the importance of empowering youth, reducing unemployment and labor market challenges in a rapidly changing world dominated by digital transformation and artificial intelligence. A plenary session held within the forums activities discussed the potential effects of modern technology such as artificial intelligence on the issue of employment in the future, especially in light of the huge number of annual university graduates, and how labor markets can absorb this number in light of the current challenges. In the session, HE Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the INJAZ Al-Arab Foundation, Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser Al-Thani, spoke about unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa region, stressing the need for the private sector to play an important and supportive role to the public sector to reduce unemployment among youth. Since its inception in 1999, INJAZ Al-Arab Foundation has worked s to empower youth in the region through partnership with gove rnments, the private sector, individuals and sponsoring organizations, especially after accession to the "Junior Achievement Worldwide" in 2004, the move that made INJAZ Al-Arab the regional employment center for the Middle East and North Africa. Her Excellency Sheikha Hanadi Al-Thani said that the public sector in the region is the body that absorbs the largest sector of jobs among young people, and this view must change through special projects that further attract the youth, noting that statistics in the GCC countries show that every two of three job opportunities provided by the public sector. Her Excellency spoke about the importance of understanding the current changes in the world, especially among young people, and for them to have a major role in choosing their life directions, by realizing the needs of new generations that have become rapidly changing thanks to technology, social media, and other tools. She also stressed the importance of the role of education in motivating young people, as educa tion and training are important guarantees for the labor market, and it is a trend that creates greater opportunities for job seekers, provided that education plans are compatible with the requirements of the labor market. She also pointed out the importance of benefiting from artificial intelligence to enhance opportunities for empowering young people and building their capabilities, and not limiting their contribution to working life, whether in the public or private sector. Source: Qatar News Agency