Why is it so hard to find a job in Somalia?

“When I wake up every morning my work is only to find work, yet I have not heard from any employer for the last six months,” says Abdullahi Mohammed, a young Somali graduate. He has a degree in Information Technology, a master’s in Development Studies from the UK, and has some short-term experience working with international organisations. And yet he still can’t find a job in Somalia. This is the reality for millions of young people in the country, who are well educated but who face real challenges getting work. And it is particularly difficult for women. The statistics vary wildly according to who you speak to: The World Bank says about 20% of people are unemployed, while the Somali Congress of Trade Unions says it’s as high as 70%. In this episode of the Africa Daily Podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks with Abdullahi, another graduate Fardowsa Khalif, the president of Somali Trade Unions Mohamed Osman Haji Ali, and Mohammed Adam from Somali Public Agenda, a public policy research NGO.