Labor Market Dynamics In Libya

Since the 2011 uprising that toppled the former regime, Libya has been mired in deep political strife. An economy in which agriculture once flourished was converted wholesale to an oil-based rentier state of the most extreme kind. Following the immediate post-revolution oil-consumption boom, in 2014 Libya's economy is in recession. Security is the greatest challenge to stability (World Bank 2014). Today, limited opportunities exist for reintegrating youth and ex-combatants into the labor market. This policy note provides an initial assessment of Libya's labor market and discusses policy options for promoting employability as part of a broader jobs strategy. It is intended as a contribution to evidence on Libya's labor market for the benefit of policy makers, civil society and the broader international community. The report finds that the overall unemployment rate in Libya increased from 13.5 percent in 2010 prior to the uprising to 19 percent as of 2012, having changed little since then. Youth unemployment stands at approximately 48 percent and female unemployment 25 percent. The vast majority (85 percent) of Libya's active labor force is employed in the public sector, a high rate even by regional standards. The rate for women is even higher (93 percent). Employment in industry (largely the oil sector) and agriculture accounts for only 10 percent of the labor force. While nearly all public sector workers are covered by some form of social insurance, only 46 percent of private sector workers are enrolled - a striking difference. The report further discusses the implications of Libyan jobseeker profiles. Thirty percent of firms have reported difficulty in recruiting qualified Libyan nationals. Only 15-30 percent of Libya’s labor force is relatively skilled and likely could be hired readily if given access to basic job training and job search assistance. For the remainder of the unemployed work force, targeted interventions would need to be designed for advanced skills development, vocational training, reconversion, and apprenticeship and entrepreneurship programs. The report discusses options for shifting Libya from a rentier state to a diversified, productive economy through economic and technical partnerships to help accelerate creating economic opportunities and jobs.

This volume provides an initial assessment of Libya's labour market and discusses policy options for promoting employability as part of a broader jobs strategy. It is intended as a contribution to evidence on Libya's labour market for the benefit of policy makers, civil society and the broader international community.

Ten years after Libya descended into conflict, the contours of a new society are emerging. How has violence remade the country—what has happened to inter-community and inter-personal relations, to social hierarchies and elite composition? Which new groups, networks and identities have formed through conflict, and how has this transformed power structures, modes of capital accumulation and governance at the local and national levels? How has the violence contributed to create new communities, both inside the country and in exile? This volume brings together leading researchers, both foreign and Libyan, to examine the deep changes undergone by Libya’s society amid civil war. These transformations are bound to shape the country for decades to come, and will influence its relations with the outside world. By addressing neglected yet crucial aspects of social change amid violence, the contributors substantially broaden the picture of Libyan society beyond the current confines of scholarship, as well as enriching wider debates in Conflict Studies.

The report is intended to contribute to the implementation of policies in a post-conflict Libya to promote private sector development.

Libya’s economic stability should be a priority for the international community. Although the private sector is an integral part of the Libyan economy, limited systematic information is available on how the prolonged conflict in Libya affected the private sector and the implications for a postconflict recovery. Using original survey data, The Private Sector amid Conflict aims to fill this gap by analyzing how the private sector has coped with the conflict and examining resilience and postconflict optimism. The conflict has profoundly affected the Libyan private sector. The conflict-induced macroeconomic crisis has generated a liquidity crisis, weakening the banking sector. Firms’ revenues, jobs,and production have been reduced and value chains have been disrupted. The conflict has distorted the business environment, undermining the rule of law, reducing accountability, and affecting service delivery. Not all fi rms have been negatively affected, however. The conflict-induced changes to competition, access to inputs and markets, innovations, and informal activities tend to affect different types of fi rms differently. Overall, the private sector shows signs of resilience and optimism for a postconflict recovery. The analysis in the book draws on novel data and other conflict experiences. The results presented offer suggestions for policy actions to address private sector constraints amid conflict and in the postconflict era.

This sourcebook compiles analytical work that has been cultivated over the past several years by the World Bank and partner organizations of Libya. Utilizing several analytical techniques, the book makes a unique contribution to the discussion on Libya's medium- to long-term challenges.

The 2017 edition of the OECD Employment Outlook reviews recent labour market trends and short-term prospects in OECD countries.