Youth unemployment poses risks, Hisarcıklıoğlu says

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu (R) gives a plague to the Republic of Macedonia President, Ivanov, after the visiting stateman’s speech at Istanbul Business Forum. DAILY NEWS photo

Unemployment among young people is the most important issue and the solution to it is vocational training, the head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, has said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Business Forum held in Istanbul for the 60th anniversary of the TOBB, Hisarcıklıoğlu focused on the global and regional problems of the economy.
Despite the debt crisis in Europe, the much needed political leadership was non-existent, Hisarcıklıoğlu said. Obstacles before trade were increasing and protectionism was being fueled, according to the TOBB president.

“Unemployment is a problem, but youth unemployment is a bigger issue. Vocational training is a remedy to unemployment. Together with the rise in population and consumption, prices of goods have also increased, which in turn increases production costs. Crises in food and energy have reached a threatening level for all economies. Poverty and hunger are increasing; the income gap is becoming wider with each passing day. Political developments experienced in the Middle East impact the global economy. Rapid population growth and the rise of the middle class in parallel with urbanization have completely changed global politics, the economy and the way business is done,” he said.

Hisarcıklıoğlu also said entrepreneurship was becoming more democratic every day and that an economic structure where everybody has an opportunity to set up a business was developing.

“My observation is that while the energy of the global economy is decreasing, this process requires new solutions be found. Main topics such as these transform the global economy. The wizard of the era is the common mind and the magic is structural reforms. In the 21st century, we have to build the structural reforms with a common mind if we are to solve our regional and global issues,” he said.