Unemployment in the Arab states increase to 15%

The number of unemployed in the Arab states increased in recent years to 14 million, representing 15% of the total Arab labor force, according to statistics released by the Arab Labor Organization.

In statements on the sideline of the meeting of the Arab labor ministers on Monday in Amman, the director general of the Arab Labor organization Ibrahim Qweider said that " number of unemployed in the Arab states increased in recent years to reach 14 million persons out of 90 million representing the total Arab labor force."

Qweider attributed the reason behind this increase to the " accelerated population growth in the Arab world, besides the recession in the performance of Arab economics and the inability of foreign investments in the Arab states to ensure required job opportunities."

Qweider warned in his speech at the inaugural 28th session of the Arab ministers of Labor in Amman that the " problem of unemployment in the Arab world threatens social security and family ties."

He also indicated the increase in the number of employed children in the Arab world, noting that there are some 6.7 million Arab children who are not registered in schools and most of them work due to the difficult conditions of their families.

The director general of the Arab Labor Organization estimated number of foreign workers in the Arab world at 10 million, noting that Arab workers can replace 60 % of this foreign labor force which work in the area of services.

In their session which will continue until April, 9, the Arab ministers of labor will discuss several issues mainly means of ensuring social protection to the Arab workers and strengthening Arab support to the Palestinian workers in withstanding conditions of the Israeli occupation and the Israeli besiege of the Palestinian territories.