Emigration Tops Priorities for Young Arabs Amid Virus and War

(Bloomberg) -- Emigration is the top priority for nearly a third of young Arabs as the coronavirus pandemic strips away jobs and governments struggle to address deepening economic insecurity, according to a regional survey.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents aged 18 to 24 put moving abroad above a career, education or even starting a family, Dubai-based communications agency ASDA’A BCW said in a report published Tuesday.

But the findings mask major regional disparities. In Lebanon, where the worst financial crisis in decades has pushed much of the population into poverty, 77% had at least considered leaving, as had majorities in Libya, Yemen and Iraq -- countries with civil wars or a post-conflict collapse in public services. In Saudi Arabia, the figure stood at 6% while the percentage for the United Arab Emirates’ youth considering leaving is 3%.

The company conducted 3,400 face-to-face interviews between Jan. 19 and March 3 in 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, excluding Qatar, which is boycotted by a four-nation group including the UAE where ASDA’A is based. It then interviewed 600 people online in six countries between Aug. 18 to 26.

Economic hardship topped the list of reasons for wanting to emigrate, cited by 24%, with corruption second. Others cited education, security and political reasons. Eighty-seven percent said they were worried about employment, and a fifth of those surveyed in August said they or someone in their family had lost a job due to the virus. Overall, 35% were in debt, compared with 15% in 2015.

More than two-thirds of Lebanese respondents thought Covid-19 could lead to further political unrest. Respondents also cited a range of complaints including rising prices and lack of jobs would trigger further political protests after almost a year of sporadic unrest. In Saudi Arabia, 14% of respondents didn’t rule out protests against the political status quo taking into consideration the effects of the virus.

“The downturn is also expected to exacerbate the already large humanitarian and refugee challenges faced by fragile and conflict-affected countries,” said Jihad Azour, the International Monetary Fund’s director for the Middle East and central Asia. “Many youth face the prospect of joining labor markets at a time of a deep economic recession and pervasive uncertainty,” he said in the report.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.