As millions of young people reach adulthood in developing countries, masses of new jobs are needed. That is especially true in sub-Saharan Africa, though the employment scenario is similarly dismal in many other countries with huge informal sectors such as India, for example. Innovative companies can make a difference, and the emergence of tech start-ups in many metropolitan centres is encouraging. Other sectors, especially manufacturing and commodity processing must grow too, however. For that to happen, the general business environment must improve in many places. Institutional innovations of the kind that have long marked more advanced economies must be introduced too.
This focus section directly relates to the UN’s 8th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): decent work and economic growth. It also has a bearing on the entire SDG agenda.
