81 percent of the youths in Tigray are unemployed, states a new study.
The war, which broke out in Tigray in November 2020 and went on for 2 years, has destroyed the region. In this war half a million people were killed and many were left homeless. The war between Tigray People’s Liberation Front and Federal government of Ethiopia ended when the warring parties signed Pretoria peace deal in November 2022. But Tigray region and federal government need to do a lot for reconstruction and rehabilitation. Millions of people are dependent on food aid. Though basic services have been restored in Tigray, economic activity is yet to start.
A study has been conducted by an organization named Tigray youth association. According to the study, in Tigray 81 percent of youths are unemployed, and 40 percent of youths want to migrate.
The youths are disappointed by the current situation in Tigray. Before the war, rate of unemployment in Tigray was 30 percent but due the destruction and displacement, 81 percent of the youths are unemployed now. Youths are fleeing the region. They are choosing risky sea routes to illegally enter Middle Eastern countries.
Three incidents have happened in the last 2 months in which boats carrying illegal Ethiopian migrants capsized leaving dozens dead. Thousands of migrants flee their countries in the horn of Africa every year and try to enter Saudi Arabia illegally. Human traffickers charge high fees for transporting these illegal migrants using dangerous sea routes. Some die on the way to Yemen. Others face indiscriminate firing by Saudi border guards on Yemen-Saudi Araba border.
Tigray government conducted a meeting last week to stop youths from leaving the region. The government assured that the situation will get better. Resumption of economic activity and creation of jobs seem to be the solution to stop youths from leaving Tigray.
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