Abstract:
The debate on employment and unemployment in Egypt has been a major feature of public policy for the last few years. With unemployment reaching double-digit figures, the social actors have realized that it is time to confront the problem.
This paper argues that the implementation of unconventional policies and the creation of institutions are necessary to achieve the objective of “full employment,” which has been illusive so far. It makes case for a paradigm shift away from partial solutions to a coherent plan of action. The three major components of this plan are: expansionary macroeconomic policy, enhancing the productivity of the labor force, and the reform of the civil service. All, of course, are subject to political will to design and implement a coherent and coordinated policy that goes beyond temporary palliatives.
