Tunisia: Understanding Conflict 2012 - Johns Hopkins School of ...

language and technology skills, which are crucial for employment. Additionally,
university programs can also incorporate more internship opportunities into their
curriculum, which are virtually nonexistent in Tunisia.
Conclusion
Tunisia is currently in a shaky place, as the population has moved from a euphoric state
following the revolution to realizing that many of the realities on the ground remain
unchanged. Unemployment, a major driver of the revolution and a key issue for
Tunisians, has yet to be comprehensively addressed by the government. The sustained
level of instability caused by the mass protests and sit-ins continues to hamper economic
growth and job creation, and is the most immediate and pressing issue to be addressed.
Economic growth and demographic changes will be the solution to unemployment in the
long run. However, in the short term, the government should also make a greater effort
to seek foreign aid to fund quick impact projects and to develop a more comprehensive
strategy for addressing unemployment. This strategy should look foremost at
encouraging the growth of the private sector and increasing levels of foreign direct
investment. Furthermore, the strategy should address how the government can strengthen
the weakened tourism sector and create more high value-added employment
opportunities. Finally, the government should also seek to implement education reforms
to address the high rate of unemployment among university graduates. By lowering
unemployment, the government will help to encourage greater stability in the country and
ensure the success of the Jasmine Revolution.
185