The Jobs Agenda for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
The economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) grew several folds over the past decades, making impressive improvements in key development indicators, supported by massive investments in extractive industries. Real gross domestic product (GDP)...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2018
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/792871524204977802/The-jobs-agenda-for-the-Gulf-cooperation-council-countries http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29741 |
| Summary: | The economies of the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) grew several folds over the past decades,
making impressive improvements in key development
indicators, supported by massive investments in extractive
industries. Real gross domestic product (GDP) annual growth
reached 5.1 percent during the 2000-2012 period, with
hydrocarbons accounting for almost 90 percent of revenues
and 80 percent of exports during the same period. Economic
growth has not translated into sufficient employment
creation and optimal job outcomes for GCC nationals outside
of the natural resources industry. Reforming public sector
employment to increase the productivity and meritocracy of
jobs for GCC citizens entails three key recommendations.
First, while public sector pay should remain competitive to
attract highly skilled workers, it needs to correspond with
actual productivity levels. Second, introducing a
meritocratic system and formal performance management tools
in the public sector will increase competition among public
sector employees and potentially increase productivity.
Finally, in some of the larger GCC economies,
rationalization of recruitment of citizens into the public
sector may be necessary. This note elaborates on this line
of reasoning and highlights how the World Bank can assist
GCC governments in achieving their stated objectives of
increasing citizens’ access to more and productive
employment and supporting the shift towards a
knowledge-based economy. |
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