Strategic solution needed in Arab region,report

Arab countries must work to eradicate corruption and channel state resources to create more jobs to tackle problem of unemployment that contributed to the start of the Arab spring last year, a report on unemployment in the Arab region said today. It also called for increasing volume of mid size and micro-projects to help a larger segment of the society and the need for more involvement of the banking sector in reviving the region's sluggish economy. The report was launched at the start of a regional conference on unemployment held in Jordan with the EU and countries from the Middle East and North Africa. The talks have beeb organized organized by the EU agency European Training Foundation (EFT). Figures from the Arab labour organization, which issued the report, indicate that more than 17 million people are unemployed in the Arab region with the unrest that unfolded in the region helped increase the number of unemployed by 16 percent. It said governments should channel state resources to development projects that can address socioeconomic problems and lead to reduction of poverty and work on developing long term strategies to tackle unemployment, rather than focus on efforts to deal with day to day issues. Speaking at the opening session of the gathering, Palestine minister of labour, Ahmed Madjalani said increasing poverty, dwindling hope among the youth to improve their lives contributed to the start of the Arab spring, warning against continued unrest in the region so long as unemployment problem continued. He also warned of a difficult economic situation in the Palestinian territories, where unemployment is believed to have reached more than 20 percent and poverty is on the rise. "The Arab countries and the international community must meet its obligation to help the Palestinian people in their economic situation," he said. President of the Arab labour organization, Ahemd Lukman said the report focused on the situating of unemployment in the region before the Arab spring, its impact during the events that lead to the toppling of four leaders and future influence on the region.