One of the most serious challenges in the Southern Mediterranean countries is the high unemployment rate, specially among youth. Unemployment can be considered as one of the sources of malcontent among the Arab youth and many observers sees the high unemployment as one of the major reasons behind the popular uprisings in the Arab countries.

The high unemployment can be considered as a fertile soil for social and political frustration, which may lead to illegal migration, radicalism, and violence. Thus, the consequences of unemployment can affect not only the single countries, but the surrounding region as a whole. Therefore, designing a model of inclusive and sustainable development centered on employment should be considered as a common interest between Southern Mediterranean and European countries and a key to defuse political frustration and prevent radicalization.

The EMNES Policy Conference on “Job Creation in the Southern Mediterranean Countries: Perspectives and Challenges” aims at providing a platform for discussion on the socio economic roots of unemployment in the region and on the perspectives and challenges for job creation for developing a policy roadmap to solve the problem of unemployment.

The conference is organized under the patronage of His Excellency Prof. Dr. Adel Al Tweissi, Jordanian Minister of Higher Education. Further, the conference is proud of a long list of outstanding keynotes, senior policy makers and experts, well known economists and commentators. Among them, there is H.E. Prof. Dr. Wajih Oweis (Senator and Former Minister of Higher Education), H.E. Dr. Ziad Fariz (Governor of the Central Bank of Jordan and Former Minister of Finance), H.E. Maha Ali (Former Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply), H.E. Prof. Dr. Munther Al Shar’e (Former Minister of Water and Irrigation), Dr. Maher Al Marouq (CEO of Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation, JEDCO), H.E. Dr. Sudqi Al Omoush (Deputy Secretary General of the Union for Mediterranean), Prof. Dr. Zaydan Khafafi (President of Yarmouk University), Prof. Dr. Abdul Razaq Bani Hani (President of Jerash University), Mr. Laith Al Qasem (Chairman Arabian Business Consultants for Development), and Mr. Ghassan Nuqul (Vice CEO Nuqul Group).

The conference gathers thus influential stakeholders and promotes the dialogue between experts from the region and beyond, influential politicians, investors, and private sector decision makers. The discussion will address the role of institutions, investment, financial markets, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship for job creation. New developments of the labor markets and strategies to foster human capital development will be envisioned, as well, with the final aim of developing a roadmap for inclusive and sustainable development centered on employment.

The Euro-Mediterranean Network for Economic Studies (EMNES) is a network of partners and associates research institutions and think tanks working on socio-economics in the Euro-Mediterranean. The EMNES project is co-funded by the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA and the European Commission.

EMNES Policy Paper Conference