Youth Ambassador Think Tank: Youth Opinions of the U.S. Election

What are your expectations for the next U.S. president? What do you hope to hear from a U.S. presidential candidate? What role can the United States play in promoting economic and social opportunities for young people in the Middle East?

JOULAN ABDULKHALEK (Beirut, Lebanon):

It isn’t clear to me how much say the President has in the big mixture of ‘ingredients’ cooking [i.e. various agencies, branches and institutions] in the U.S. government. But, from my standpoint, if I had to recommend some policies for the next administration as urgent issues to improve the lives of youth in the region, I would recommend addressing unemployment. We need to invest in the education system so that we can know the skills that will be needed in the future and understand the demands of the job market…The Middle East also needs to develop a ‘corporate culture.’ We have small businesses and family-run businesses, but we need to institutionalize the private sector to ensure a sustainable economy."

ALAA AL-MIZYEN (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia):

“Middle Eastern youth are eager to participate in collective reform towards peace and stability throughout the region, disregarding biases and turning a cornerstone for themselves and upcoming generations. From the next U.S. president, I want to hear of genuine and credible willingness towards diplomatic solutions to the region’s conflicts. Middle Eastern states harness a variety of traditions, cultures, and dialects: a region that prides itself on both its similarities and its diversity.  A newly built affiliation and trust in the U.S. could allow future generations to [contribute to their region’s development], devoid of the ropes of prejudice that often tie us down. Credibility would in turn be given to U.S.-led efforts in the region to promote a more inclusive economy to releive financial burdens on both the American and Middle Eastern populations."

ABDULLAH AL-THAWR (Sana'a, Yemen):

"The U.S. provides a lot of support to students in the Middle East in the form of scholarships and study opportunities, but it is usually limited to the elite. For instance, sometimes scholarships request English fluency as a condition, so only the 'elite of the elite' gets this opportunity. How can the U.S. help out more, in terms of creating beneficial educational opportunities in the region? That is a tough question to answer. Yemen, like other countries in the region, is filled with potential. Given the right support and care, this potential might translate into a development boom, keeping the region stabilized and at the same time providing great investment opportunities not only for the U.S. but also for the whole world. Further, if education and employment opportunities in Yemen are improved, especially in rural areas, there would likely be less terrorist attacks and there would be a higher level of security, and consequently investors, educators, and citizens from around the world will view Yemen as a business-friendly country. The U.S. might have already realized this shared interest in investing in education and employment in the region: it provides good programs such as micro-scholarships to study English, and there are also funds for the development of the education sector in rural areas. It also has initiatives to help improve public-private partnerships to create a better business environment to eventually benefit unemployed people. There is a lot that still needs to be done in these same fields: such as improving educational tools and standards, more programs to help qualifying teachers. U.S. support is certainly a significant factor in bringing about these improvements."

NASEEM TARAWNAH (Amman, Jordan):

“When it comes to the younger generation specifically, primary concerns have less to do with politics and more to do with on-the-ground economic opportunities. This is probably why a visit by a U.S. or other foreign dignitary won't spark a great deal of interest in my country's youth. Youth in Jordan - and I would venture to include youth worldwide - are more concerned with the “here-and-now.” The demand and focus is on jobs available today as opposed to what macroeconomic gains will become apparent 10 or 20 years from now. The most longterm concern you will ever find among young Jordanians has to do with choosing what to major in at university. Though there are some who see certain sectors as viable arenas of employment in the coming years and will think ahead, everything else is much too longterm to be of any relevence to a population of young Jordanians trying to keep their heads above the rough financial waters these days."

SARAH ZAIMI (Rabat, Morocco):

“My country truly needs … guidance, economic, and logistical help to overcome social plagues like illiteracy, social exclusion and unemployment. It is very positive to notice the US presidential candidates are including helping MENA countries in their electoral plans by visiting the Middle East on the field and witnessing our problems from inside. From one perspective it is our fate to work together, history has shown us that if big players in the international scene don’t help small players to achieve economic balance and social welfare, we have to pay for the drawbacks like: terrorism, ideological hatred or self destruction. From another perspective, we Arab countries should stop believing in the old-fashioned conspiracy theories and be more realistic while looking into the future for the sake of the populations."