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

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.