President Tharman Warns Global Stability Depends on Creating Jobs for 1.2 Billion Entering Workforce

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam tells World Bank Rome conference that 1.2B jobs for youth are vital for global peace, health, and economic stability.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 5:47 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Straits Times

Global Stability Linked to African Labor Market Success

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has characterized the challenge of generating employment for Africa’s youth as a critical priority for the international community. During his address at the World Bank Group Conference in Rome, the President argued that succeeding in this endeavor is not merely a regional necessity but a global common good. He warned that a failure to integrate the 1.2 billion young people expected to enter the global workforce over the next decade would have dire consequences for international peace, global health, and the management of forced migration. According to President Tharman, the arc of human well-being worldwide is inextricably tied to the economic prospects of the African continent.

Technological Disruption and the Rise of Protectionism

The global economic environment has undergone a significant shift that complicates traditional pathways to development. President Tharman noted that the rules governing international trade have suffered a major blow, resulting in a less predictable framework for emerging economies. Unlike the favorable conditions that aided East Asia’s growth fifty years ago, Africa now faces a world where markets are increasingly closed. Furthermore, the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence and advanced robotics threatens to displace routine tasks in both white-collar and manufacturing sectors. This technological disruption particularly disadvantages developing regions in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where labor advantages are often concentrated in routine production.

Strategic Infrastructure Gaps in Energy and Connectivity

To overcome these steep odds, President Tharman emphasized the need for bold changes in public policy and development finance. He identified the massive gaps in broadband access and electricity as the two most significant hurdles currently facing the African continent. Addressing these infrastructure deficits is viewed as a prerequisite for any sustainable industrial or service-based growth. According to the President, the international development community, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank, must prioritize these areas to build transition pathways that lead from basic schooling to high-value, skills-based employment for the next generation.