Unemployment Falls to 12.3 Percent in second Quarter (Minister)

Unemployment fell by 0.9 percent to stand at 12.3 percent at the end of the second quarter of 2001 against 13.2 percent in the corresponding period in 2000, employment minister, Abbas El Fassi, said.

Some 100,000 jobs were created in the private sector, El Fassi told the parliament.

The minister said unemployment is intrinsically linked to economic growth which was of 3.5 percent between 1980 and 1990 against 2.2 percent between 1991 and 2000.

El Fassi called for reforms, especially in administration, to lower obstacles hindering the easy flow of investments, which are the key to curbing unemployment.

Part of the drives to reduce joblessness, the minister noted that the employment department is developing partnership ties with some sectors. He cited in this connection a project to create 600,000 new jobs in tourism and 120,000 ones in information technologies.