Egypt
Egypt enjoyed rapid growth
from 1975 to 1985 but then suffered a severe economic crisis which required
an IMF bailout and acceptance of an IMF reform program. This controlled
inflation but resulted in rising unemployment and set the stage for the
inability to deal with several external shocks in the 1990s. Gross domestic
investment started to decline as percentage to GDP from 21% in 1999 to
17.6% in 2002. Secondly, the inflow of the FDI dropped sharply in 2001
and afterward. Thirdly, GDP growth declined from almost 6% in 2000 to
3% in 2002. International reserves diminished from US$20.3 Billion in
1997 to US$14 Billion in 2001. All of this had a strong negative impact
on the labor market. The rate of unemployment has risen since the late
1990s and is four times higher among women than among men. Youth and rural
workers also suffer higher rates of unemployment. Real wages have declined
steadily since the late 1980s and the government has not adjusted the
minimum wage. Unionization is largely limited to the public sector. The
launching of a "National Employment Program" in mid-2000 has
yet to demonstrate a major impact on the labor market.
- To read a detailed labor market
analysis for Egypt, download one of the following:
Adobe Acrobat [.pdf] [size 52 kb]
Microsoft Word [.doc] [size 77 kb]
- For labor market data on Egypt,
download one of the following:
Adobe Acrobat [.pdf] [size 98 kb]
Microsoft Excel [.xls] [size 71 kb]
Submitted by:
Alia El-Mahdi
Faculty of Economics
and Political Science, Cairo University
rualia@yahoo.com
Data posted October 10, 2003.
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