Abi Ramya declares a youth emergency

On the Project Management World Day, and upon invitation from the International Project Management Association (IPMA), the Second National Conference for Project Management opened in Beirut last Thursday with the participation of MP Simon Abu Ramya. Also present were the president of the Federation of Municipalities of Jezzine District, Khalil Harfoush and a crowd of specialists, academics and social, economic and development figures. During the conference, Abu Ramya noted that in the absence of an inclusive national statistical policy, the data reflecting the rate of unemployment among youth at hand is largely incorrect. He mentioned some of the direct reasons for emigration and unemployment, mainly, the “unstable political and security situation and the disparities between the university specialties and the requirements of the labor market, in addition to the competition of foreign workforce.” And while he expressed regret over the slack attitude of the  National Employment Office in providing prospects for the young graduates and other components of society, Abu Ramya declared what he termed as a ‘youth emergency’. He urged the private and public sectors to help the young people of Lebanon to stay steadfast in their homeland instead of promoting policies that encourage emigration. “Lebanon does not exist outside the framework of its youth,” he cried out. (An Nahar, November 14, 2015)