Egypt’s unemployment rate eased slightly in the second quarter of 2016 to 12.5 percent from 12.7 percent in the first quarter, state statistics agency said on Monday.

According to a statement by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the number of unemployed persons stood at 3.6 million persons, decreasing 61 thousand persons from the first quarter.

The number of unemployed however increased by 42 thousand persons when compared to the number recorded from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the labor force stood at 25 million persons, increasing by 153 thousand persons from the first quarter, with a 2.9 percent increase from the number recorded from the second quarter of 2015.

CAPMAS reported that 8.5 percent of the male labor force is unemployed, decreasing from 9.3 percent during the second quarter of 2015. Unemployment rate among the female labor force, however, inched to 25.6 percent, as opposed to 24.1 percent during the same period last year.

CAPMAS reported a higher rate of unemployment in urban areas, at 14.1 percent, as opposed to 11.2 percent during the previous quarter.

Almost 79.8 percent of those unemployed belong to the youth segment, aged between 15 and 29, and educated segment make up the majority – 79.7 percent – of the unemployed sector.

Egypt suffers from a relatively high unemployment rate and has been struggling to restore economic growth since a 2011 uprising toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

This content is from Aswat Masriya

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