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The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in reply to its previous comments and appreciates the quality of the report on the application of the Convention. This report indicates that the level of employment increased by 2.49 per cent between September 1988 and April 1990, while the unemployment rate remained stable during the same period (8 per cent and 8.03 per cent respectively). The Committee notes, however, that the unemployment rates indicated in the Government's general report for the period ending 30 June 1989 are 14.4 per cent in 1988 and 13.7 per cent in 1989. It also notes that unemployment among young persons continues to be high (the rates for the age groups 15-19, 20-24 and 25-29 years are respectively 12.5 per cent, 40.3 per cent and 23.4 per cent, representing together some 76 per cent of all unemployed persons).

The Committee notes that the measures taken within the framework of the Action Programme 1990 of the Sixth Five Year Development Plan (1990-94) were intended to increase the growth rate in the manufacturing industry, services and agricultural sector by 12.6 per cent, 11.8 per cent and 10 per cent respectively, but that these rates are unlikely to be achieved as a result of the Gulf crisis. Furthermore, investments having a positive and direct effect on the creation of employment should increase by 8.6 per cent in comparison with the previous year. The Committee also notes the impact of measures taken under the regional and industrial development, the labour market, the education and the training policies, and of measures for women, the disabled, returning migrant workers and released prisoners.

The Committee also notes the information concerning the employment projects in which the ILO and other international agencies have participated, and particularly the commencement of the project on the labour market information system (IPES). It would be grateful if the Government would continue to supply information on the matters referred to above and particularly on the employment objectives set out in the Sixth Five Year Development Plan, especially as regards young persons, and if it would indicate the extent to which these objectives have been or are being attained. The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on other points.