Harnessing the energy and drive of younger generations will be the key to our future, especially in regions of the world with growing youth populations. This includes the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait – where more than 50% of the people were under 25 years of age as of 2021.
Recognizing the enormous potential of this vibrant and dynamic youth population, the GCC is working to address challenges in youth education, training and employment in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as outlined in this UNICEF report. By doing so, its children and youth will be equipped with the skills and opportunities to match their aspirations.
Empowering young people through government initiatives
A recent PwC survey showed that 65% of youth in the Middle East have strong faith in their governments as drivers of positive change. That is borne out by the ambitious youth development strategies put in place across the region. For instance, Bahrain’s National Strategy for Youth Empowerment 2023–2028 is designed to empower young citizens and prepare them for the future by fostering creativity and innovation.
To support the increasing number of youth in Saudi Arabia, where young Saudis make up 44% of the population and 78% of the workforce, the government initiated a Youth Development Strategy in 2024. That comes on the back of three programmes to shape the next generation of Saudi leaders and workforce pioneers under the National Capability Development Initiative in 2023. The UAE also launched a similar initiative in 2024, its National Youth Agenda 2031. This aims to ensure Emirati youth have the tools to succeed on the world stage.
These strategies translate into real-world initiatives. Lamea is an award-winning national programme for youth empowerment in Bahrain that prepares young people for future leadership roles through international training, skills building and performance development. The Hope Fund provides talent management and investment to empower local businesses from launch to commercial expansion. Similarly, Mashroo3i 2.0, run by The Labour Fund (Tamkeen), provides young Bahraini entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from experts to transform their ideas into successful business projects.
Preparing the youth of today for the job market of tomorrow
Quality education is a high priority for 81% of youth in the Middle East, where the ‘action gap’ between its importance and the engagement to address it is narrower than globally.
Recognizing that quality education is critical for sustained economic growth, GCC countries are allocating large portions of their budgets to youth education and training. For example, the 13th edition of Youth City 2030 launched in Bahrain in 2024. This edition offers more than 4,000 training opportunities for those aged 9-14 and 15-35 and 100 new professional training programmes to develop and equip Bahraini youth with the skills to succeed in the job market. GCC countries are also embracing digital transformation to ensure young people have access to cutting-edge knowledge and skills through initiatives like Bahrain’s EduNET portal and Saudi Arabia’s FutureX, in collaboration with leading online learning providers.
In the Emirates, AI is being used to help teachers plan modules and complete administrative work, allowing them more time to focus on pupils, and a new training initiative aims to upskill Emirati talent to meet labour market requirements. It will provide internationally recognized certification and position people to join various sectors within the workforce, while helping create hundreds of jobs and apprenticeships annually.
Youth as a catalyst for development
While there is considerable focus on making sure youth have the skills they need to succeed, young people in the GCC are also increasingly taking on roles that impact society.
Programmes, like those run by the MiSK Foundation, empower young leaders by nurturing leadership skills, promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing technological proficiency so they can thrive in a global market. The Misk Global Forum is its annual flagship event that highlights the importance of youth-led initiatives and connects young leaders, experts and entrepreneurs worldwide to discuss innovative solutions to societal and global issues. This dynamic platform is helping GCC youth to become agents of positive global change that can shape a sustainable and prosperous future.
Strengthening support for young business-owners is translating into real tangible success in the region. The Gulf is producing a new generation of entrepreneurs whose success stories are shaping industries and setting new standards for innovation.
One such example is Lumofy, a Bahraini EdTech company that received a $500,000 capital investment from Hope Ventures. Further investments will help propel Lumofy’s expansion across the region, solidifying Bahrain’s position as a hub for innovative startups. Other success stories include ParkPoint, a full-service Bahrain-based parking solutions ecosystem for optimizing parking infrastructure. After expanding into Saudi Arabia, the company now manages more than 11,000 parking spaces and is poised for new growth. Skiplino, a cloud-based crowd and queue management system with its headquarters in the UAE and Bahrain, has improved customer experiences globally, serving over 65 million tickets across 40 countries. And in 2023, Tamara, a Saudi fintech buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) platform, made waves by achieving unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation after securing $340 million in a Series C funding round. It serves more than 10 million users across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait and has received a licence from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA).
These success stories highlight the impact of strategic investments and supportive ecosystems in the GCC, ensuring that young entrepreneurs are equipped to succeed and drive economic growth and transformation in the region.
In addition, youth engagement in volunteerism and civic programmes is strengthening social cohesion across the GCC. FTI Consulting’s 2024 report on community development notes a strong positive correlation between a country’s volunteering rate and its per capita GDP, and a negative one between donations and income inequality. The message is clear: an economically successful society is one with strong community and social responsibility.
Platforms, such as the UAE’s National Volunteering Platform, encourage young people to contribute to social welfare and charitable causes. By actively participating in these initiatives, the region’s youth are gaining valuable leadership skills and reinforcing a culture of collective responsibility, ensuring that economic and social progress go hand in hand.
The GCC stands at a pivotal juncture. With a young, vibrant and diverse population eager to contribute, the region has a unique opportunity to shape a future driven by innovation and progress.
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