Republic of Congo - Employment and Growth Study : From Jobless to Inclusive Growth

Abstract

Unemployment, especially youth
 unemployment, is a serious problem for the Republic of
 Congo. Despite the economic recovery and political
 stabilization in the last decade, insufficient employment
 has been created, leading to high unemployment rates,
 especially for the young population in urban areas. This
 situation of jobless growth has been caused by a number of
 factors, including the dominance of the public sector in the
 past, the limited activity of the private sector, the
 undiversified economy, a mismatch between the skills
 required by employers and those offered by job seekers and a
 regulatory and institutional environment that is not fully
 supportive of employment creation. Action needs to be taken
 now to promote inclusive growth in the non-oil sectors and
 create sufficient employment opportunities. It is essential
 to remove the major obstacles to non-oil growth and
 employment creation. This employment and growth study seeks
 to provide recommendations to address the main challenges
 regarding non-oil growth and employment creation. The
 results of the study will help to inform government policy,
 especially in the context of the new PRSP that is currently
 being elaborated and the National Employment Policy that is
 under preparation. Based on extensive analytical work,
 actions are recommended to improve labor demand, labor
 supply and the regulatory and institutional framework.