(MENAFN- Arab Times) Co- Chair of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Omar Qutaiba Al-Ghanim said Friday private sector companies participating in forum pledged to qualify nearly 100, 000 youths for joining labor market by 2017. Speaking at a session on "the Youth Imperative," Al- Ghanim said this pledge is very important for employment drive in MENA region where people below the age of 25 years represent half of the total population.
Al-Ghanim, who doubles as Chairman of MENA business council, CEO of Kuwait's Alghanim Industries Co. and chairman of Injaz capacity building organization, noted the MENA region has the highest rate of unemployment among youths in the world. "Today's commitment is crucial for the efforts to prepare young people with business skills for future careers and enable them to be part of a stable and advanced society," he stressed. He called on other companies to follow suit of the 30 member companies of the MENA business council and back up the efforts of WEF in building the capacity of youths.
In a statement to KUNA following the session, Al-Ghanim lauded the generous initiative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah to launch a youth-oriented fund with a capital of KD two billion geared to finance small and medium enterprises and promote employment. He highlighted the significance of public-private partnership in encouraging the Kuwaiti youths to embark on SMEs and creating jobs for them.
The session gathered Moroccan Prime Minister Abdulilah Benkirane, Head and Representative of Partnerships in Switzerland of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Carolina de Borbon Parma, former prime minister of Libya Mahmoud Jibril and Chair-person of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority Bodour Al-Qassemi
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