Berlin/Beirut, Jan. 26, (dpa/GNA) – A decade after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, many young Arabs are still looking to migrate, seeking better opportunities than offered by the poor economic conditions at home, according to a new survey.
The survey by German political think tank Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) interviewed some 10,841 respondents in Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.
In Lebanon, 34 per cent of respondents want to move abroad. Next come Tunisia (31 per cent) and Jordan (26 per cent). The numbers decline going into Morocco, with 19 per cent, and 16 per cent in both Algeria and Libya. Young people aged 18-29 are more interested in migrating than those who are 30 or older.
“The major push factor is economic opportunities, although other concerns are important, such as instability in Libya and corruption in Lebanon. Others simply want to leave for better educational opportunities,” KAS said in its report, which was made available to dpa on Tuesday.
While economic justice was one of the driving factors behind the Arab uprisings of 2011, citizens remain frustrated, especially as the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the poor conditions in their countries.
Fewer than one in five said that economic conditions are better than 12 months ago, KAS added.
However, between 65 and 47 per cent of respondents in Algeria, Jordan, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia remain optimistic that their respective economies will improve after a year.
In Lebanon, which has been hit by an economic crisis since before coronavirus, only 14 per cent are optimistic.
About half of respondents favour a parliamentary system, yet there is also a strong support for having a leader who is able to take “quick and decisive” actions.
GNA