Unemployment in Bahrain needs a growth of 6%

Bahrain's minister of social affairs and Labor Majid al-Alawi has announced that solving the problem of unemployment in Bahrain for the long run "requires achieving an economic growth ranging between 5 to 6%" in order to be able to "absorb the labor force introduced to the market."

Bahrain's population is 650,000, including 400,000 Bahraini citizens while the others are foreigners working in security fields.

Al-Alawi who assumed the post of the ministry of Labor in the new Bahraini government in November said that his ministry has a project to control the unemployment problem in Bahrain including for the first time providing insurance for unemployment. He added " If we could attract foreign investments at a value of USD 800 million annually, the economic growth will be optimum and good as the political situation in Bahrain is currently good and we do have an advanced telecommunications systems in addition to investment facilities provided by the government."

Al-Alawi, the former leader figure in Bahrain "Ahrar" ( Liberals) movement which was behind the protests concerning unemployment in the Shiite circles, especially protests that took place in Bahrain between 1994- 1999, said that a total restructuring in the laws and in the ministry should be made, noting that the ministry should be an organizer for work and for the long run companies should be in the task of recruitment.

He considered that the private sector should play a key role in the set plans, noting that this sector attracts in Bahrain some 90% of the labor force and this private sector should be attractive for the unemployed.

The minister did not give the number for unemployed people, noting that the the ministry is in the process of changing unemployment figures.

However, unofficial estimates indicate that number of unemployed in Bahrain is estimated between 25,000 to 30,000.