Despite the significant potential of Libyan youth, they face challenges and obstacles that may limit their role in the development process. This calls for highlighting their reality and ways to support them in leading positive change. In statements to ‘Sputnik,’ Al-Majrisi emphasized the importance of utilizing modern technology and training young people on its tools, especially artificial intelligence technologies, as they are among the most prominent tools that can open new horizons for work and creativity and help them integrate into modern systems.
Regarding the challenges faced by young people in Libya, Al-Majrisi explained that the political scene suffers from the dominance of individuals who are not specialized in politics, which poses a barrier to the participation of qualified young talents. He added that, economically, there is a clear gap between the specializations studied by young people in universities and the labor market demands due to the lack of communication between the state and educational institutions to guide students towards the most sought-after specializations.
He also pointed out that the lack of funding for small and medium enterprises is one of the main obstacles for young people, especially in the absence of government support and the presence of economic confusion, along with disagreements over the Libyan currency, which negatively affects youth initiatives and their practical opportunities. He confirmed that the solution lies in the state working to provide financial and educational support programs, narrowing the gap between academic study and labor market requirements, in addition to developing international cooperation networks and focusing on establishing business incubators that care for young people and provide them with material and moral support, helping them launch their projects and actively engage in the development journey.
Meanwhile, Moaz Boudlal, the head of the Libyan Youth Development Organization, said that it is possible to harness the energies of young people by involving them in various fields and working on developing their skills through participation in community initiatives and humanitarian work. Their role can also be enhanced through engagement in political work, participation in dialogues and forums, and presenting proposals and initiatives that contribute to nation-building.
Boudlal emphasized the importance of developing their skills through training courses and vocational training in various fields so that they become active elements in society, contributing to its service and development. He stressed the importance of supporting small and medium projects for their significant role in absorbing youth energies and employing them positively, benefiting the community.
Speaking about the challenges, Moaz Boudlal explained that young people face several obstacles, most notably the lack of trust from government institutions in granting them leadership responsibilities or high positions, which poses a significant barrier. Additionally, youth participation in decision-making processes remains limited, and their presence is absent in most elected bodies and political positions under the pretext of youth or lack of qualifications and experience, despite their possession of new capabilities and skills that many older individuals lack.
He explained that young people face difficulty in meeting their basic needs to engage in political and community work, and the lack of training and skills prevents them from competing in the labor market or taking on high positions, even though they have innovative ideas that have not found sufficient funding to be implemented. He confirmed that armed conflicts have greatly affected young people and limited their participation in development and community work, in addition to the absence of encouragement and the condescending view some hold towards them, which represents another obstacle.
He confirmed that creating an empowering environment for youth requires providing financial support, training, and encouraging cooperation and spreading a culture of innovation, and supporting youth projects in their early stages, in addition to providing scholarships and fellowships for the distinguished. He also called for launching mentoring programs overseen by experts and advisors, and encouraging cooperation between universities, companies, and research centers to provide technical support, alongside organizing events for communication and networking between entrepreneurs, and local forums to spread a culture of innovation and exchange success stories.
He pointed out the necessity of adopting the correct concepts of entrepreneurship to create a generation of entrepreneurs capable of innovation in a safe environment that invests in their ideas, with the belief that failure is part of the path to success, which encourages young people to embark and actively participate in serving society and building a better future.
