Global youth unemployment rose in 2025 as weaker growth, geopolitical tension and sluggish job creation made work harder to find, the International Labour Organization said — with Northern Africa recording the second-highest rate of any world subregion. Youth unemployment rose between 2023 and 2025 in eight of the world’s 11 subregions, and across high-income, lower-middle-income and low-income countries alike. Youth unemployment was highest in the Arab States at 26.2%, followed by Northern Africa at 22.6%. Where the ILO puts AI riskThe agency’s AI finding is more specific — and more counterintuitive — than most commentary on the subject. The Youth Employment Service has created over 209,000 work experiences since inception, contributing R12.3 billion through youth salaries, entirely privately funded.