Policy Briefs

Jobs and Growth in North Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic

No.

PB 97

Publisher

ERF

Date

October, 2022

Topic

J. Labor and Demographic Economics

In a nutshell:
  • Decent work was a challenge for North African labour markets even pre-pandemic, with high unemployment, high informality and low female labour force participation.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic and labour market difficulties created additional challenges for those who had been working or seeking work.
  • There was a sharp initial contraction in employment in Q2 of 2020, during the strictest initial lockdown phase of the pandemic.
  • Key labour market aggregates, such as employment, tended to recover soon thereafter, but to varying degrees across countries.
  • Other indicators – such as hours of work, time-related underemployment and income – had more persistent negative effects.
  • Informal workers, farmers and the self-employed tended to be the most affected by the pandemic but did not necessarily receive the most social assistance.
  • Detailed data on worker characteristics and topics such as hours and income are needed to track the impact of shocks and progress of recovery.
  • Ensuring vulnerable, informal workers have robust social protection should be a key priority for supporting workers in North Africa.
Jobs and Growth in North Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

Caroline Krafft

Associate Professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs,...

Jobs and Growth in North Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research Fellows

Ragui Assaad

Professor and Freeman Chair for International Economic...

Jobs and Growth in North Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research Fellows

Mohamed Ali Marouani

Associate Professor, Université Paris1-Panthéon-Sorbonne