The recent global crisis had serious impacts not only on economic development but also on labor markets in the region. Current unemployment rates are still much higher than the pre-crisis level despite a GDP upturn, which implies that the unemployment problem could be structure-related. Accelerating the recovery of job markets is essential for reviving the economy as well as maintaining social stability. With the objective of addressing and studying the causes and impact of structural unemployment on the region post-crisis, PECC launched a new international project this year: “Examining the Mid to Long-Term Structural Unemployment in the Asia-Pacific”.  Chinese Taipei will lead the year-long project.

The 26th Pacific Economic Community seminar on the topic was held during 13-14 October 2011. The objectives of the seminar were:

a) to examine the structural unemployment issues, phenomena and relevant impacts;

b) to analyze and explore factors that have caused structural unemployment; and

c) to identify potential solutions to the problem of structural unemployment within economies as well as throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Program agenda (31KB, pdf)