"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Middle East facing serious brain drain Study: One in three young Arabs want to leave Middle East if they could
Published in Daily News Egypt on 03 - 03 - 2010

A new study shows that given the chance one out of every three youth in Arab countries in the Middle East would leave the region.
A new Gallup poll has found that nearly one third of youth in the Middle East and North Africa would emigrate if they where given the opportunity. The percentage is higher among those with an academic degree.
According to the poll, "31 percent of respondents who already work full time compared with 17 percent who are not in the workforce say they would like to leave their country permanently, if they had the opportunity.
The study, commissioned by the Silatach Index, polled some 16,000 youth between the ages of 12 and 29 in 20 countries across the Arab world last year. It's most remarkable finding, which confounded current conventions, revealed that the employed and educated were more likely to want to emigrate than the unemployed.
"These results suggest it may be unfulfilled ambition or lack of perceived opportunity rather than strict unemployment that prompts some young people to leave their homelands, the study said.
According to the report, youth between the ages of 15 and 29 represent about a third of the total population in the region and make up a significant labor supply.
"¬This 'youth bulge' remains one of the greatest challenges for all stakeholders, from national and local governments to private businesses and civil society. Such a demographic challenge has many implications for national economies, migration, and 'brain drain' issues, the report said.
One of the key findings of the report points to the fact the "a country's greatest assets are also it's most mobile. The ¬most likely individuals to express a desire to migrate permanently are those who are the most educated, are already employed, and aspire to start their own businesses, the report said.
In Lebanon, the report found over 70 percent said their country was a good place for entrepreneurs. But Professor Marwan Stambuli, a Lebanese management consultant, told The Media Line he believes over half would emigrate if given the possibility,
"In my opinion this figure varies from one Middle Eastern Country to another.
Lebanon for example more than 55 percent will leave given the opportunity, Stambuli said.
"The criteria of immigrating are the opportunity to find work and political stability, Stambuli added.
However, many of those who leave Lebanon to work in the Gulf region or in the West have remained in close ties with the country and during the summer time many of them return either for vacation or to look for investment possibilities.
Regarding the Palestinian Territories, the poll found a more optimistic view by youth. It said that some 50 percent of youth were satisfied with their freedom to choose what they do in life. It noted that younger Palestinians were "generally less pessimistic than older Palestinians about their own economic status and opportunities, and they have a brighter perspective on their personal lives.
Nabil Shaath, a senior minister with the Palestinian Authority and former peace negotiator, confirmed this view point.
"The brain drain is always serious and always costly, but it's not very much in this country, Shaath told The Media Line. "There's really - if you look at our emigration statistics in the last five years, which were difficult years, very little - very little net outflow.
"I understand that the many people who emigrated are willing to really come back: permanently or to make businesses and go back again, which is fine with us, Shaath said, adding that those who do leave make a practice of remaining in contact with their native countries.
"There are a few medical doctors who come every year, who spend their vacation giving voluntary, free operations to people who need them. So that link makes it easy to accept even a trickle brain-drain, Shaath said.


Clic here to read the story from its source.