Baghdad – Al-Nabaa Forum for Dialogue held a virtual symposium titled "The Employment Crisis in Iraq: Vision and Solutions", bringing together researchers, specialists, and journalists to address the growing obstacles facing graduates in the Iraqi labor market and propose evidence-based solutions. The event featured economic experts Dr. Manar Al-Obeidi and Dr. Dhurgham Abu Kalal as keynote speakers and was moderated by Dr. Alaa Al-Silawi.
Speaking at the event, economic expert Dr. Dhurgham Abu Kalal noted that the discussion focused on the immediate challenges confronting university graduates alongside practical strategies to navigate the crisis. He emphasized that Iraq’s higher education system must shift toward equipping students with practical skills and real-world experience rather than relying solely on granting academic degrees.
Abu Kalal highlighted the need for tight coordination between educational planning and employment policies, pointing out that admissions and recruitment strategies are often ill-conceived. He urged the state to empower graduates to launch their own small businesses and startups by providing seed capital and accessible soft loans, describing micro-financing as a vital tool for poverty alleviation and economic development.
For his part, Dr. Alaa Al-Silawi, Executive Director of the Forum, affirmed that the organization remains committed to tackling vital societal issues like unemployment through structured, methodology-driven solutions that offer a sustainable future for job-seeking youth. He noted that while the state cannot directly hire every graduate, it is responsible for creating job opportunities, both locally and internationally, by aligning university curricula with market demands and strengthening links between universities and the labor market.
Ali Al-Talaqani, Head of the Al-Nabaa Forum, warned that public sector employment has reached alarming levels, draining state budgets while paralyzing individual potential. Instead of developing a dynamic labor market capable of absorbing the workforce, government institutions have become the sole hiring outlet, frequently resulting in hiring freezes due to severe overstaffing and idle human resources.
Al-Talaqani cited a recent report detailing the actual productive hours of public sector employees, calling its findings a grave indicator of widespread "disguised unemployment". He added that the mismatch between educational output and market demand, compounded by the absence of domestic manufacturing and production, threatens severe economic consequences. He concluded that the Forum hosts experts and decision-makers precisely to foster a knowledge-conducive environment that enables sound policy choices.