BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 16. The potential of the young generation should be untapped, Director of Economic & Social Infrastructure Department at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Idrissa Dia, said at the 14th IsDB Group Private Sector Forum held in Baku, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
"Today, we live in an era of the largest youth generation in human history. And this is not a burden, but a tremendous resource that must be effectively utilized. We must unlock the transformative potential of this generation so that our countries can look to the future with optimism," Dia also said.
He noted that one in five young people worldwide lacks education, employment, or training.
"In our organization's member countries, there are about 250 million young people who aren't involved in economic development processes. They are deprived of the opportunity to contribute to the development of their countries, and this is a cause for concern.
Furthermore, the situation varies significantly by region. For example, in the Arab States, youth unemployment currently stands at 28%, the highest rate in the world. This should motivate us to take decisive action," he emphasized.
Dia pointed out that the problem today is not a lack of talent or ambition among young people.
"The challenge is rather to remove the barriers that prevent young people from realizing their full potential in life and contributing to the economic development of their countries.
This is where regional integration can be a transformative force. Cross-border trade expands markets for young entrepreneurs beyond national borders, and digitalization accelerates this trend," he added.
