Arab youth in the Levant and North Africa are
in a state of despair, and the implications of this potentially dangerous
phenomenon could become the most severe challenge their home nations face in
the near future.
اضافة اعلان
The desire to emigrate
According to a recent
Arab Youth Survey, conducted by ASDA’A BCW, over half of Arab youth in the Levant and North
Africa say they are actively trying to leave or are considering leaving their
country for better opportunities. The desire to emigrate is strongest among
young men and women in the Levant at 53 percent, followed by North Africa at 48
percent.
This is not the first survey, conducted in the
past six years or more, that had reached such grim results. A survey by the
same institution in 2020 found that nearly half of young Arabs have thought
about leaving, rising to 63 percent in the
Levant. A survey conducted in 2019
by BBC Arabic found that more than half the young people in much of the Arab
world would like to leave their home countries. This is in contrast to
responses by youth in the GCC countries where just over a quarter, at 27
percent, said they have considered emigration, with a majority saying they
would “never leave their country.”
An average unemployment rate hovering at
around 25 percent
With an average unemployment rate among youth
in the
MENA region hovering at around 25 percent, one of the highest in the
world, it is important to note that young men and women, under the age of 25,
make up about 60 percent of the population. The primary reason for emigrating
is job seeking, but there are other reasons such as political turmoil as a
result of conflict, high cost of living, and economic stagnation.
According to a recent Arab Youth Survey, conducted by ASDA’A BCW, over half of Arab youth in the Levant and North Africa say they are actively trying to leave or are considering leaving their country for better opportunities. The desire to emigrate is strongest among young men and women in the Levant at 53 percent, followed by North Africa at 48 percent.
The MENA region has been rocked by a series of
challenges starting with the political, social, and economic tumults brought
about by the Arab Spring, the ravages of Daesh later on, and the economic
reverberations of the
COVID-19 lockdowns. Most countries have yet to recover
economically, but that goal remains held back by poor leadership, rampant corruption
and widespread economic failure, and external conditions such as climate
change. These are definite push factors.
Difficult to find a job
According to the Arab Youth Survey, a total of
77 percent of all Arab youth said there was corruption in their country while
72 percent of Arab youth said they felt it was more difficult to find a job.
The highest numbers of young people saying it was hard to find employment were
in Lebanon (91 percent) and Jordan (90 percent).
It is no wonder that countries in the Levant
and North Africa are seeing a spike in illegal and legal emigration rates, with
the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and New Zealand being the most favored for
legal migration. And while North African countries were traditionally transit
countries for illegal migrants, mainly from West and Sub-Saharan African
countries, hoping to reach European shores, an increasing number of native
North Africans are now willing to take the
hazardous journey across the Mediterranean in search of a better life.
Young Arabs now face risks
These
young Arabs now face risks, including
human trafficking, exploitation, dangerous sea crossings, and arrest or
deportation when caught by authorities. Meanwhile, many youths from the Levant
and North Africa choose legal immigration as a means to pursue higher education
abroad or secure better
job opportunities. Italy and Germany, facing declining
populations and workforce shortages, now issue thousands of work visas annually
to young and skilled Arabs from the MENA region.
Brain drain
While some experts see an economic value in
emigration such as a rise in the inflow of remittances, the trend can
negatively impact countries of origin, as it can result in brain drain, and
loss of skilled workforce, which can hinder
economic growth and development.
Never forget the lessons of the Arab Spring
More important, perhaps, is the fact that
those wishing to emigrate are unable to become increasingly frustrated and
angry which could fuel mass protests in their own countries. Youth unemployment
is the most serious challenge any political leader can face and one should
never forget the lessons of the
Arab Spring.
More important, perhaps, is the fact that those wishing to emigrate are unable to become increasingly frustrated and angry which could fuel mass protests in their own countries. Youth unemployment is the most serious challenge any political leader can face and one should never forget the lessons of the Arab Spring.
The real and sustainable value of youth
emigration can be realized only if these young emigrants are lured back to
their own countries having been exposed to different economies, cultures,
ideas, and opportunities. The experiences and skills gained during migration
could positively
influence local economies through the creation of new
ventures, job opportunities, and knowledge transfer. So far not one country in
North Africa and the Levant has managed to create enough incentives to lure
back its native sons and daughters; not while it is unable to grapple with
high unemployment rates and perceived corruption.
Things may be getting worse for some countriesThings may be getting worse for some
countries. The International Organization for Migration counted nearly
22,000 Egyptian migrants arriving in Europe last year mostly by sea, a
notable spike from previous years when Egyptians weren't among the top
nationalities seeking asylum in EU countries.
Last year's figure pushed Egypt to the top,
surpassing illegal migrants from every other nation, including those from
Afghanistan and war-torn Syria. While reasons for pushing young Arabs to
migrate are known, solutions must be found to stop the hemorrhage costing lives
and draining economies.
Unfortunately, there is no magical solution at
hand. But a path to recovery is suggested by the same sample of Arab youth
surveyed, where more than 8 in 10 (85 percent) said Arab countries must uphold
universal values such as freedom, equality, and respect for human rights–a
sentiment shared by most young Arabs in all the three regions covered–91
percent in North Africa, and 81 percent each in the GCC and Levant.
Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political
commentator based in Amman.
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