gulfnews.com - Dead Sea, Jordan: The Middle East and North Africa (Mena) is facing the highest youth unemployment in the world and it needs to be addressed with innovation and adoption to technology, according to a report released at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The report “Re-Dynamizing the Job Machine: Technology-Driven Transformation of Labor Markets in MENA,” has been produced jointly by INSEAD Business School, the Center for Economic Growth in Abu Dhabi, and SAP.

With 40 million under-unemployed youth and 27 million not in education, employment, or training, the Mena region has the highest rate of youth unemployment in the world at 27.2 per cent, according to the World Economic Forum. This presents a serious problem for a region where more than half the 369 million inhabitants are under 25.

Technology is widely seen will be a ‘game changer’ in tackling youth unemployment in the Mena’s emerging digital economy. The region has made significant progress in technology adoption with the internet penetration jumping 294 per cent in the region between 2007 and 2012.

photo CC by anadigital