Top Findings from the 2014 Arab Youth Survey

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Egypt
Iraq
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Palestine
Qatar
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Yemen
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“We want to embrace modern values.”
A White Paper on the Findings of the ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey 2014
Published in 2014 by ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
This White Paper can be obtained from the ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey website:
www.arabyouthsurvey.com
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Contents 2 Letter from the CEO
4 Survey Methodology
6 Top Ten Findings
8 In-depth Insights
28 Demographic Data
29 About Us
Algeria
Bahrain
Egypt
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Morocco
Oman
Palestine
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Tunisia
UAE
Yemen

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller2
The
substantial
investment in this
thought leadership
platform demonstrates
our firm belief in
the principle of
evidence-based
communications.
Letter from the
Chief Executive officer

3Arab Youth Survey 2014
Every year ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller conducts the Arab Youth
Survey because we understand how important it is to access
reliable data here in the Middle East, where research is often
limited. The substantial investment in this thought leadership
platform demonstrates our firm belief in the principle of
evidence-based communications.
The aim of this annual survey,
now in its sixth year, is to present
evidence-based insights into
the attitudes of Arab youth,
providing public and private sector
organisations with data and
analysis to inform their decision-
making and policy formation.
Our first study in 2008 evaluated the hopes and aspirations of
1,500 Arab youth between the ages of 18 and 24 years
in six countries; Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt and
Jordan. This year’s edition is a cross section of the opinions of
3,500 young Arabs in 16 countries across the Middle East and
North Africa, with insights into the young people of Palestine
included for the first time.
In the six years since we started the Arab Youth Survey,
the region has witnessed dramatic technological, social and
political changes, much of which are evident in the findings that
we have produced. After decades of living under oppressive
dictatorships, thousands of citizens took to the streets to demand
change and in doing so toppled two leaders in Egypt, and a
further two in Yemen and Tunisia, removed Muammar Gaddafi
from power in Libya and plunged Syria into civil war with an
enormous loss of life.
In the intervening years we have seen Egyptian citizens take part
in the country’s first democratic election in decades, only to see
the newly appointed president overthrown within the year; we
have witnessed Libya continue to grapple with rebel fighters
who openly and regularly defy the new state; Tunisia endure
months of crisis and Syria enter its third year of civil war.
Though thousands of young citizens have taken to the streets
to demand change, many more are using the internet and social
media platforms to voice their opinions. As the online world
becomes an intrinsic part of Arab society, the youth of today
are fast becoming the 24-7 social network generation.
Youth in Saudi Arabia, which boasts the highest Twitter
and YouTube usage per capita of any country in the world, are
using sites such as Twitter to demand social change while citizen
journalism continues to play a key role in driving the world’s
outlook on the ongoing conflict in Syria.
The ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey is an important
snapshot of what is happening in the region. One of our top
findings in our 2010 survey, for example, was that the single most
important priority for young people was living in a democratic society.
Three years after the Arab Spring,
we are starting to see the optimism
felt during the revolutionary years
wane and an increasing emphasis
on the "here and now" and the role
of national governments.
Similarly, it is evident in this year’s findings that more youth are turning
to social networks as they gain increasing trust in the blogosphere.
As the region continues to evolve so does the ambitions
of the region’s youth. The ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth
Survey provides an insight into their hopes and beliefs in what is
a defining era for the Arab world. We hope that the results of the
6th Annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey are
informative and that the research will continue to further
constructive dialogue on realising the hopes and aspirations
of this important demographic – the region’s 200 million youth.
Sunil John
Chief Executive Officer
ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller

The 6th Annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey
2014 was conducted by international polling firm PSB to
explore attitudes among Arab youth in 16 countries in the
Middle East and North Africa. PSB conducted 3,500 face-to-
face interviews between December 2013 and January 2014
with Arab men and women in the age group of 18 to 24.
The aim of this annual survey, now in its sixth year, is to
present evidence-based insights into the attitudes of Arab
youth, providing public and private sector organisations
with data and analysis to inform their decision-making and
policy formation.
The survey is the most comprehensive of its kind covering the
six Gulf Cooperation Council states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE), Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan,
Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Yemen. The
survey did not include Syria due to the civil unrest in the country.
Participants were interviewed in-depth about subjects ranging
from the political to the personal. Topics explored included the
concerns and aspirations of Arab youth, their views on the
economy and the impact of the Arab Spring, their media
consumption habits, and attitudes towards traditional values
and the people who influence them.
Respondents, exclusively nationals of each of the surveyed
countries, were selected to provide an accurate reflection of
each nation’s geographic and socio-economic make-up. The
gender split of the survey is 50:50 male to female. The margin
of error of the 6th Annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab
Youth Survey 2014 is +/-1.8%.
There were 200 respondents for each country represented in
the survey, except for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt with 300
respondents each, and Iraq with 250 and Palestine with 150.
The geographic location of respondents was also taken into
account by PSB when developing the fieldwork methodology
– with, for example, 40% of UAE respondents in Abu Dhabi,
40% in Dubai and 20% in Sharjah. Saudi respondents were
drawn from three of the country’s regions; Riyadh, Jeddah
and Dammam; Palestine’s youth from the West Bank and
Gaza; Oman’s youth from Muscat and Batinah; Lebanese
youth from Beirut, Saida, and Tripoli; Tunisian youth from
Tunis, Sfax and Soussa; Iraqi youth from Baghdad, Irbil and
Basrah; Egyptian youth from Cairo, Alexandria and Mansoura,
and so on across each country.
When analysed, this geographic spread provides a more
accurate national picture than findings based solely on the
responses of those living in capital cities.
Survey Methodology
Original 2008-10 countries
UAE
N=300
Oman
N=200
Qatar
N=200
Bahrain
N=200
KSA
N=300
Kuwait
N=200
Egypt
N=300
Jordan
N=200
Lebanon
N=200
Abu Dhabi
40%
Muscat
50%
Doha
55%
Manama
100%
Riyadh
40%
Kuwait City
20%
Cairo
50%
Amman
50%
Beirut
60%
Dubai
40%
Batinah
50%
Al Rayyan
45%
Jeddah
40%
Al Hawalli
30%
Alexandria
25%
Irbid
25%
Saida
20%
Sharjah
20%
Dammam
20%
Al Ahmadi
20%
Mansoura
25%
Zarqa
25%
Tripoli
20%
Farwaniya
30%

Newin2011 New in 2012 New in 2013 Newin2014
Iraq
N=250
Tunisia
N=200
Libya
N=200
Algeria
N=200
Morocco
N=200
Yemen
N=200
Palestine
N=150
Baghdad
(50%)
Tunis
(50%)
Tripoli
(50%)
Algiers
(50%)
Casablanca
(25%)
Sanaa
(50%)
West Bank
(50%)
Irbil
(25%)
Sfax
(25%)
Benghazi
(25%)
Oran
(25%)
Fes
(25%)
Al Hudaydah
(25%)
Gaza
(50%)
Basrah
(25%)
Soussa
(25%)
Misrata
(25%)
Constantine
(25%)
Rabat
(25%)
Ta’izz
(25%)
Marrakech
(25%)

A growing number of Arab youth are adopting
modern values as digital technology reshapes
behaviour and attitudes. However, family,
friends, parents and religion still have the
most influence on youngsters and their
outlook on life.
Arab youth are confident in their governments’
ability to deal with a wide range of issues
including living standards, economic stability
and unemployment but the positive momentum
felt during the Arab Spring is declining.
For the fourth year running, Arab youth
cite the rising cost of living as their biggest
concern, closely followed by anxiety about
unemployment, which has been steadily
rising year-on-year.
Top 10 Findings
What do 200 million Arab youth
have to say about their future?
A growing
number of Arab
youth are embracing
modern values, while
family, friends and
religion continue to
shape their opinions
and influence
their lives
1
Youngsters are
confident in their
national governments’
ability to deal with a
wide range of issues.
Confidence in the
long term impact
of the Arab Spring
is dropping
2
Rising living
costs and
unemployment
are the biggest
concerns for
youth across the
Middle East
3
The majority of Arab youth believe that
civil unrest is the biggest obstacle facing
the Middle East and will define the region’s
ability to thrive in the future.
More Arab youth are likely to start a business
than in previous generations. Though the
government sector remains a popular choice,
an increasing number of young Arabs would
like to work in the private sector.
For the third year running, the UAE
remains the most popular country to live
in and the country Arab youth would most
like their country to emulate.
Arab youth
believe that civil
unrest is the biggest
obstacle facing
the region
4
entrepreneurial
spirit is HIGH and a
growing number of
young arabs would
like to work IN
the private sector
5
The UAE is the
country that most
Arab youth would
like to live in and is
seen as a model
for their country
to emulate
6

Television remains the most dominant
source of information for the sixth
consecutive year but a growing number of
Arab youth are going online to get their news.
3,500 face-to-face
interviews
Arab youth in the age
group of 18-24 years
Sample split 50:50
male/female
When asked to think about their country’s
biggest ally, Arab youth are choosing their
GCC neighbours over traditional western
countries as Gulf governments’ political
weight grows in prominence.
Concern about obesity and diabetes is rising
but many young Arabs believe that healthcare
in their country has not improved in the last
12 months.
Nearly 70% of young Arabs believe they are
entitled to subsidised utilities and petrol, and
while concern about climate change is rising,
it ranks significantly behind other issues in
terms of priority.
Arab youth
consider their
country’s biggest
allies to be regional
neighbours such as
Saudi Arabia and
the UAE rather
than TRADITIONAL
western
COUNTRIES
7
Arab youth
are increasingly
concerned about
obesity and lifestyle
diseases and do
not believe that
healthcare IN
THEIR COUNTRY is
improving
8
An
overwhelming
majority of young
Arabs believe they are
entitled to subsidised
energy costs, while
concern about climate
change is low across
the region
9
Television
is the most popular
source of news for
the sixth year running,
but a growing number
of young Arabs are
turning to online
and social networks
to get their
news
10

A growing number
of Arab youth are
embracing modern
values, while family,
friends and religion
continue to shape
their opinions and
influence their lives
A rising number of Arab youth are adopting modern values
as digital technology reshapes behaviour and attitudes.
Nearly half of all youth polled (46%) agree with the statement
“Traditional values are outdated and belong in the past; I am
keen to embrace modern values and beliefs”, compared
to only 17% in 2011.
1
As Arab youth become more global citizens, a growing
number believe traditional values are no longer relevant and
are keen to embrace a more modern outlook. In 2011, just
17% of youngsters said traditional values are outdated, rising
to 35% in 2012 and 40% in 2013. Attitudes towards modernity
are similar across the region with 44% of respondents in the
Gulf and 46% in the other Arab nations believing that traditional
values belong in the past.
The significant shift in attitude comes amid a rise in social
media consumption, smart phone penetration and exposure
to new ideas and beliefs through international media and travel.
Though preference for traditional values is declining, youth
are still turning to their family, parents, friends and religion
for advice and counsel. When asked to consider who is the
biggest influence on their lives and their outlook on life, two
thirds (67%) of young Arabs cite their parents, followed
by 58% family, 56% religion and 46% friends. While there
is no doubt that family, religion and friends continue to play
a leading role in young people’s lives their influence is falling
while external influences are rising.
When asked for the first time this year how much influence
social media/bloggers and TV celebrities have on their outlook
on life, more than a third (35%) cite social media and almost
one in five (19%) mention TV celebrities, indicating the growing
importance of the internet on youth. Community leaders, music
and sports are also playing a more central role in youths’ lives
with influence from community leaders rising from 33% in 2013
to 38% and pop stars from 16% to 20%.
The significant shift in attitude
comes amid a rise in social media
consumption, smart phone
penetration and exposure to
new ideas and beliefs through
international media and travel.
In-depth Insights

values and beliefs by country 2014
Traditional values are outdated and belong in the past. I am keen to embrace modern values and beliefs.
Traditional values mean a lot to me, and ought to be preserved for generations to come.
Among
All
Egypt Jordan Kuwait Qatar Saudi
Arabia
UAE Oman Lebanon Bahrain Iraq Tunisia Libya Algeria Morocco Yemen Palestine GCC Non
GCC
Which of the following is closest to your view?
Traditional values are outdated and belong in the past. I am keen to embrace modern values and beliefs.
Traditional values mean a lot to me, and ought to be preserved for generations to come.
8317
65
60
5446
40
35
How far would you say each of the following influence you
and your outlook on life? (% Very influential)
2013 2014 Base: Rebased to remove “Don’t know”
Parents Family Religion Friends Community
leaders
Social
media/
bloggers
Music Media Politicians/
Government
leaders
Authors/
writers
Business
leaders
Sports
figures
Pop stars TV
celebrities
73
67 66
58
69
56
49
46
33
38
35
28
32
29
32 30 31 31 29 30
26
19
22
16
20 19
2011
2012
2013
2014
54
46
57
43
51
49
54
46
57
43
55
45
57
43
60
40
55
45
50
50
55
45
55
45
51
49
54
46
54
46
49
51
56
44
56
44
54
46

2
Confidence is also high in governments’ ability to tackle
population change (64%), economic stability (67%) and
terrorism (61%).
Though optimism is high across a broad spectrum of issues,
youth are less confident about long term issues. Over half
of youngsters (58%) are ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ confident in
their government’s ability to address wealth creation, while a
similar number (57%) are uncertain about the ability to tackle
environmental issues.
While conviction in their national governments’ policies is
growing, a rising number of youth are starting to lose confidence
in positive outcomes from the Arab Spring. They are more
doubtful than last year that the Arab Spring will have a positive
impact on their lives, as regional governments - such as
Egypt, Tunisia and Libya - struggle to cope with the transition
of power after their leaders were toppled. In 2014, just over
half (54%) agree ‘a lot’ with the statement “Following the
uprisings across the Arab world, I feel the Arab world is better
off”, significantly down from 70% in 2013 and 72% in 2012.
Confidence in the long-term impact of the Arab Spring is also
dropping with almost three out of five youth (58%) in 16 countries
agreeing with the statement “As a result of the uprising, I feel
I will be better off in five years”, compared to three quarters
(74%) in 2013 and 71% in 2012.
Youth in the Gulf States, where governments have introduced
huge spending packages to tackle issues such as unemployment
and housing, are more confident than their counterparts in
non-Gulf countries. When asked to consider whether or not
their country of residence is heading in the right direction
following the Arab Spring, 71% of youth in the GCC cite “right
direction” compared to 55% in non-GCC states.
Arab youths’ confidence in their nations’ ability to tackle issues
is likely to be some comfort to regional governments, which
are under pressure to deal with a range of socio-economic
challenges and to meet the expectations of their citizens
following the wave of protests during the Arab Spring. The
GCC countries have boosted their public expenditure
by up to 60% since 2008 to focus on increasing salaries,
providing social aid and creating jobs for nationals in a bid
to avoid discontent.
Youngsters
are confident
in their national
governments’ ability
to deal with a wide
range of issues.
Confidence in the long
term impact of the Arab
spring is dropping
Arab youth are confident in their national governments’ ability
to deal with a wide range of issues including living standards,
economic stability and unemployment, as regional governments
adopt more inclusive policies in the wake of the Arab Spring.
Across the region, more than two thirds (68%) are either ‘very’
or ‘somewhat confident’ in their ability to deal with the rising rates
of unemployment while similar numbers are optimistic about their
ability to deal with war (67%) and enhance living standards (66%).
In-depth Insights

How confident are you in your national government’s abilities to deal
with the following issues?
How far do you agree or disagree with the following?
Agree a lot / somewhat Disagree a lot / somewhat Don’t know
722012
2013
2014
24 4
70 24 7
54 34 11
Following the uprisings across the Arab world, I feel the Arab world is better off
71 24 5
74 17 10
58 26 16
As a result of the uprising, I feel I will be better off in five years
2012
2013
2014
Living
standards
Economic
stability
War Unemploy-
ment
Population
change
Health Urbanisation Scarcity of
resources
Political
stability
Nuclear
proliferation
Terrorism Poverty Climate
change
Wealth
creation
35
31
12
66 63 67 68
57
61
58
22
32
31
17
20
31
36
18
16
30
38
14
18
29
35
13
24
29
21
31
18
29
21
23
28
28
20
19
34
27
26
23
24
26
32
17
25
25
36
20
19
24
30
22
25
23
20
25
32
21
21
26
32
Very confident Somewhat confident Not very confident Not at all confident
Arab youths’ confidence in their nations’ ability to tackle issues is
likely to be some comfort to regional governments, which are under
pressure to deal with a range of socio-economic challenges
and to meet the expectations of their citizens following the wave of
protests during the Arab Spring.

3
Concern ABOUT KEY ISSUES-GCC/NON-GCC split
Rising cost of living Unemployment
62
63GCC
Non-GCC
39GCC
Non-GCC
How concerned would you say you are about each of the following issues?
(% Very concerned)
55
In-depth Insights
This is in line with the last three years, in which almost identical
levels of respondents said they were very concerned in 2013
(62%) and 2012 (63%) just slightly up from 57% in 2011.
Youth are more concerned about the rising cost of living than
they are about their national economy, opportunities for
women and the threat of terrorism.
Concern about rising living costs is evenly split across the
Arab world with 63% of respondents in GCC - where inflation
is expected to rise this year - saying they are ‘very concerned’
compared to 62% in the remaining Arab countries surveyed.
Young people in Bahrain and Morocco are the most
concerned about living costs (67%) while young citizens in
Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Oman, Yemen and Palestine are
equally concerned (all 61%).
With rising unemployment rates across the Arab world, it will
come as little surprise that youth cite unemployment as their
second biggest concern. Higher wages and favourable
working hours have resulted in a disproportionate number of
citizens working in the public sector but a surge in population
has left many governments unable to keep up with demand
for these jobs. Across the region, nearly half (49%) are
concerned about the issue, demonstrating a steady increase
over the last four years, up from 44% in 2013 and 2012 and
42% in 2011, in line with growing unemployment rates.
Concern about unemployment is strongest in the non-GCC
countries, where governments are struggling to provide jobs
for their growing populations with 55% citing it as their biggest
concern. Though still high at 39%, youth in the Gulf are less
concerned than their counterparts in the rest of the Arab
world, their oil-rich governments providing some reassurance.
Egyptian youth are the most concerned about unemployment
at 62%, followed by Algeria (59%), Jordan (56%), Iraq, Tunisia,
Libya (55%) and Lebanon (54%).
Rising living costs
and unemployment
are the biggest
concerns for youth
across the Middle East
Arab youth cite the rising cost of living as their greatest
concern as inflationary pressures rise across the region,
increasing the need for government stimulus. Across the
16 countries polled, more than three in five (63%) are very
concerned about rising living costs.

49
24
20
4
42
26
24
8
54
18
22
6
55
17
21
6
62
18
18
3
39
32
21
9
46
26
21
8
59
19
19
3
56
24
16
4
36
26
25
12
55
27
12
6
47
22
22
9
38
29
24
10
34
29
28
9
55
24
14
8
50
27
16
7
55
18
23
4
CONCERN about key issues?
concern ABOUT the rising cost of living by country
Concern about unemployment by country
Rising cost of living
57
63
62
63
Unemployment
42
44
44
49
Opportunities for women
43
40
43
49
Threat of terrorism
48
47
46
2011 2012 2013 2014
*New category in 2014
Very concerned Somewhat concerned Not very concerned Not at all concerned
Very concerned Somewhat concerned Not very concerned Not at all concerned
How concerned would you say you are about each of the following issues?
(% Very concerned) (Top 5)
All Egypt Jordan Kuwait Qatar Saudi
Arabia
UAE Oman Lebanon Bahrain Iraq Tunisia Libya Algeria Morocco Yemen Palestine
All Egypt Jordan Kuwait Qatar Saudi
Arabia
UAE Oman Lebanon Bahrain Iraq Tunisia Libya Algeria Morocco Yemen Palestine
63
25
8
4
62
24
9
5
62
26
8
4
63
28
4
6
61
27
8
3
62
26
7
5
67
20
9
4
62
30
7
2
61
27
8
4
61
22
12
5
64
24
9
3
67
22
9
2
64
22
10
4
61
30
5
4
63
29
3
4
61
25
11
3
61
25
12
2
National economy *
49

4
In-depth Insights
That said, concern is evenly split between GCC and
non-GCC countries, both at 55%. It is felt most strongly in
Tunisia, which has struggled to contain civil unrest and form a
new government in the wake of the Arab Spring, with three in
five (62%) respondents citing it as the biggest obstacle facing
the region, and least in Qatar and Libya, at 50%.
Across the 16 countries polled, lack of democracy is widely
viewed as the second biggest obstacle with almost two in five
(38%) citing it as the biggest impediment to the region, down
from 43% in 2013 and 41% in 2012. The last few years’ results
indicate a significant shift in terms of priorities for Arab youth.
In 2009, nearly 100% of young people in six Arab countries
said living in a democratic country was either very or somewhat
important to them, ranking democracy as a priority ahead
of being paid a fair wage and living in a safe neighbourhood.
Though the importance of “living in a democratic country” is
falling, youth are placing an increasing emphasis on the “here
and now” and the role of government, with 30% citing lack
of strong leadership as the third biggest factor affecting the
region’s ability to prosper, up from 19% in 2013.
Fear of terrorism in the wake of the regional political turmoil
that continues to affect much of the region is also rising,
ranked joint third, with 30% of Arab youth citing it as one
of their biggest concerns, up from 21% in 2013 and 2012.
Youth in Libya and Oman (21% and 24%) are the least
concerned about terrorism while those in Palestine (35%),
Qatar (34%) and Bahrain (34%) are the most worried.
Though the importance of “living
in a democratic country” is falling,
youth are placing an increasing
emphasis on the “here and now”
and the role of government,
with 30% citing lack of strong
leadership as the third biggest
factor affecting the region’s ability
to prosper, up from 19% in 2013.
Arab youth believe
that civil unrest is
the biggest obstacle
facing the region
When asked what they believe to be the biggest obstacle
facing the Middle East, more than half (55%) of Arab youth
agree that civil unrest will define the region’s ability to thrive
in the future. This year’s results show a steady rise over the
last three years with 44% citing civil unrest as the biggest
obstacle in 2013 up from 41% in 2012.
Civil unrest is considered the biggest obstacle after lack of
democracy, threat of terrorism and lack of strong leadership.
Outside of the GCC, much of the region continues to
experience political turmoil as Syrian violence spills into
neighbouring countries and Egypt grapples to contain the
popular uprisings that have plagued the country since
Hosni Mubarak was toppled in 2011.

Biggest obstacles facing the middle east
What do you believe is the biggest obstacle facing the Middle East? (Top 5)
2012 2013 2014
Civil unrest Lack of democracy Threat of terrorism Lack of strong leadership * Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood
and Islamist movements
41
21
18
44
21
19
55
30 30 28
41
43
38
top two obstacles-GCC/non-GCC SPLIT
What do you believe is the biggest obstacle facing the Middle East? (Top 2)
Civil unrest
55
55GCC
Non-GCC
Lack of democracy
38
38GCC
Non-GCC
Outside of the GCC, much of the region continues to experience political
turmoil as Syrian violence spills into neighbouring countries and Egypt
grapples to contain the popular uprisings that have plagued the country
since Hosni Mubarak was toppled in 2011.
*New category in 2014

5
In-depth Insights
While favourability towards the private sector is steadily rising
in the Gulf amid extensive government-backed programmes,
it is declining in the non-Gulf states as economies are static or
shrinking and private sector jobs become more difficult to find.
Favourability towards the private sector rose to 31% in the
GCC, up from 24% in 2013 and 19% in 2012. In contrast,
preference towards the private sector in the non-GCC countries
was 31% in 2014 up from 28% in 2013 and 36% in 2012.
Unemployment in the Middle East is twice the global average
with women and youth bearing the brunt of joblessness. While
the unemployment rate across all age groups was 11.3% last
year, a total of 28.1% of youth and 19.3% females were
unemployed in the Middle East, according to the International
Labour Organization. The Middle East and North Africa needs
to create 80-100 million jobs just to maintain current
unemployment rates, according to the World Bank.
Governments, burdened by rising unemployment rates and
growing populations, are encouraging more citizens to
establish their own small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), recognising their role in creating much needed job
opportunities. For example, the UAE has said it is looking at
ways to provide SMEs with funding outside its banking system
while Jordan is fostering an environment for technology
entrepreneurs by investing through privately managed funds.
In parallel to the growth in entrepreneurial spirit, a rising
number of youth are favouring private sector employment over
working for the government. Regional governments have
embarked on a range of programmes aimed at encouraging
more citizens to enter the private sector. Saudi Arabia, the
most active country in terms of labour reforms, introduced the
Nitaqat system, which rewards companies that provide jobs
to a higher percentage of Saudi nationals, in 2011.
The raft of measures being adopted across the region appear
to be having a positive effect on the way youth view employers
with three in ten (31%) across all 16 countries saying they
would like to work for a private company, up from 26%
in 2013 and 28% in 2012. Though government is still the
preferred employer for many, preference is declining, with
around two in five (43%) of all young Arabs citing the public
sector as their preferred employer, down from 46% in 2013
and 55% in 2012.
Entrepreneurial
spirit is high and a
growing number of
young Arabs would
like to work in the
private sector
Entrepreneurial spirit across the Arab world is high as access
to higher education improves skills of young Arabs, and
governments and banks provide much-needed funding to help
set up private companies. Following decades of reliance on
the public sector for employment, more youth are keen to
start their own company with two thirds (67%) of youth
agreeing that people of this generation are more likely to start
a business than in previous generations. The split is fairly equal
across the Arab world with 66% agreeing with the statement
in the Gulf and 68% in non-GCC countries.

Entrepreneurship by country
Do you feel people of this generation are more likely to start a business
than in previous generations?
Yes No Don’t know
67
12
21
71
12
18
71
10
18
64
16
20
64
15
20
65
16
20
67
11
22
68
12
20
67
13
20
66
13
20
70
10
20
59
14
26
62
14
24
69
16
16
71
8
21
72
12
16
66
14
21
66
6
27
68
12
21
Among
All
Arabia
GCC
Work sector preference-GCC/NON-GCC SPLIT
Would you prefer to work in government or for the private sector?
(% Private sector and % Government sector)
2012 2013 2014
GCC Non-GCC GCC Non-GCC
50
64
43
46
43 43
19
24
31
36
28
31
Government Private Sector
Though government is still the preferred employer for many, preference is
declining, with around two in five (43%) of all young Arabs citing the public
sector as their preferred employer, down from 46% in 2013 and 55% in 2012.

6
In-depth Insights
Likewise, when asked to think about what country they would
most like their home country to emulate, the same percentage
(39%) of all respondents cite the UAE. This is felt most strongly
by young people in Algeria (46%), Bahrain, Qatar and Iraq (42%).
The popularity of the UAE is likely a reflection of the country’s
strong economic outlook and status as a safe haven amid the
regional political turmoil. The Gulf state, the Arab world’s
second largest economy with a GDP of nearly $390bn, is
expected to grow 4.5% in 2014 on the back of a number
of factors including its successful bid to host Expo 2020.
Its moderate government coupled with the ease of doing
business has placed the country in a unique position to be
able to attract foreign direct investment. The country’s
commitment to female empowerment, investment in the arts
and cultural scene through projects such as Abu Dhabi’s
Saadiyat Island, the growing arts and culture sector
investment in Dubai and positioning of Sharjah as the cultural
capital of the Arab world have singled it out as a beacon of
inspiration to young people in the region. The Gulf state is the
happiest Arab country and the 17th happiest in the world,
according to 2013 World Happiness Report, commissioned
by the United Nations.
UAE nationals ranked the highest out of all 16 countries in
terms of optimism about the future of their country with almost
seven in ten (69%) agreeing with the statement “I feel
optimistic about what the future holds for my country”
compared to just more than half (55%) overall. Young Emiratis
are also the most confident about their future prospects with
half (50%) believing they have more opportunities now than
they did a year ago, compared to two in five (40%) overall.
While preference towards the UAE continues to grow,
favourability towards most non-Arab countries has declined.
Just 14% of youngsters cite France as the country they would
most like their country to emulate (down from 17% in 2013)
while 10% cite Turkey (down from 16% in 2013) and 7%
China (down from 13% in 2013). Favourability towards the
United States, however, increased to 25% from 16% the
previous year.
The UAE is the country
that most Arab youth
would like to live
in and is seen as
a model for their
country to emulate
When asked to name a country, anywhere in the world, where
they would like to live, Arab youth continue, as they did in
2013 and 2012, to cite the UAE as their top choice ahead of
20 other countries, including the United Kingdom, the United
States of America and Germany. Across the 16 countries
polled, two in every five (39%) young people would like to live
in the UAE, up from three in ten (31%) in 2013. Youngsters
in Qatar are the most favourable towards the UAE with 42%
of youngsters citing it as the country they would most like to
live in while respondents in Tunisia (30%), Bahrain (33%) and
Lebanon (33%) are also favourable towards the UAE.

2014
2014
2013
2013
Model nations
Which country in the world, if any, would you like to live in?
Desired country to emulate
Which country in the world, if any, would you most like your
country to be like?
UAE
UAE
UAE
UAE
United States
France
United States
France
China
China
Qatar
United States
Turkey
Turkey
France
Turkey
France
United States
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
39
39
31
30
21
25
18
17
14
14
16
16
13
10
16
16
13
7
14
13

7
In-depth Insights
When asked to think about their country’s biggest ally, Arab
youth are choosing their GCC neighbours over traditional
western countries as Gulf governments’ political weight grows
in prominence. Arab youth cite four of the Gulf’s six member
states in their country’s top five allies with more than a third
(36%) saying Saudi Arabia is their country’s biggest supporter,
followed by the UAE (33%), Qatar (25%) and Kuwait (25%).
The United States is the only western country to feature in the
top five allies at 22%.
The split across the Arab world is similar with the same
percentage of respondents in the GCC and non-GCC countries
citing Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait. There are only minor
variants towards Qatar and the United States with 24% of GCC
respondents citing Qatar as their biggest ally compared to
26% in the non-Gulf countries, and 21% of Gulf respondents
choosing the United States and 22% in non-Gulf states.
Gulf governments are starting to play a more prominent role
in the Arab world, having been increasingly pressured to take
a position in a region where political turmoil has bought down
regimes in neighbouring countries and threatened to harm
national security. Regional issues such as the Arab Spring,
which stemmed from internal factors rather than external
influences, coupled with western allies’ decisions not to
intervene in issues such as the Syrian civil war, is signaling
an end of the traditional model of foreign relations with a
prominent western nexus.
Regional issues such as the Arab
Spring, which stemmed from
internal factors rather than
external influences, coupled with
western allies’ decisions not to
intervene in issues such as the
Syrian civil war, is signaling an
end of the traditional model of
foreign relations with a prominent
western nexus.
Arab youth consider
their country’s
biggest allies to be
regional neighbours
such as Saudi Arabia
and the UAE rather
than traditional
western countries

biggest allies-GCC/NON-GCC split
Who would you say is your country’s biggest ally? (Top 5)
GCC Non-GCC
35 35
33 33
25 25
24
26
21
22
Saudi Arabia UAE Qatar Kuwait United States
Country’s biggest allies
Who would you say is your country’s biggest ally?
Among all 2012 Among all 2013 Among all 2014
3637
35
333333
25242525
30
32
18
22
19
Saudi Arabia UAE Qatar Kuwait United States

8
In-depth Insights
As the Middle East grapples to contain rising rates of lifestyle
diseases, a growing number of Arab youth are becoming more
concerned about health. For the second consecutive year,
Arab youth cite obesity as their biggest health issue with more
than a quarter (26%), up from 12% in 2013, saying they are
more concerned about being overweight than they are about
diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
Regional governments, particularly in the Gulf, are spending
millions of dollars to tackle obesity and lifestyle diseases as
levels reach epidemic proportions. Oil wealth and high
household incomes have prompted a surge in overeating and
poor diets, which has led to an explosion of obesity and
lifestyle-related illnesses. Three out of the ten countries where
diabetes is most prevalent in the world are the Gulf states of
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, according to the International
Diabetes Federation.
Across the Arab world, youngsters cite diabetes as their
second biggest health concern with around one in six (17%)
saying it is the biggest issue in terms of health, up from 11% in
2013. Concern about cancer is also rising, with 14% saying it
is their biggest health issue, a small rise year-on-year.
While concern about health issues is on the increase, decades
of reliance on foreign healthcare has left many young Arabs
skeptical about the level of healthcare they receive in their
home country. When asked to describe the current state
of healthcare available in their country in the last 12 months,
two thirds (66%) believe it has either stayed the same or got
worse. The split between GCC and other Arab countries is
almost identical, with 66% in the Gulf countries and 67% in
the non-Gulf countries saying it has not improved or worsened.
While concern about health issues
is on the increase, decades of
reliance on foreign healthcare has
left many young Arabs skeptical
about the level of healthcare they
receive in their home country.
Arab youth are
increasingly
concerned about
obesity and lifestyle
diseases and do
not believe that
healthcare in their
country is improving

Health issues
Which of the following health issues concerns you most?
Healthcare services-GCC/NON-GCC SPLIT
In the last year do you feel that the healthcare in your country has…?
2013 2014
Improved Stayed the same Got worse
12
26
11
17
2 3
11
14
11 10
28
20
Obesity Diabetes Cancer Heart disease Other I am not concerned
about health issues
Among All
GCC
Non-GCC 33 53 14
34 52 14
34 52 14
Three out of the ten countries where diabetes is most prevalent in the
world are the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, according
to the International Diabetes Federation.

9
In-depth Insights
The split between GCC and all other Arab countries is similar
with 73% believing they should be entitled to subsidised fuel
in the GCC and 75% in all other countries.
The cost of energy is heavily subsidised across the region,
giving little incentive to citizens to reduce their energy
consumption and as a result the Arab world is amongst the
least energy-efficient markets in the world. The rise in
population growth and artificially low energy prices has seen
many countries ramp up their investment in renewable and
nuclear energy in recent years. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and
Jordan have embarked on extensive nuclear energy plans
to cope with rising demand. Jordan was forced to lift its fuel
subsidies in 2012 to reduce its budget deficit, a move that
sparked public protests, which many other regional
governments fear. Saudi Arabia last year launched a public
campaign to build public opinion on the need to review
subsidised energy pricing, especially to industry.
Similarly, concern about climate change appears to be low
across the region. When asked what they think is the biggest
challenge facing the Middle East today, climate change and the
environment ranks at the bottom of a choice of 27 categories.
Just 6% of all youth polled believe climate change is the biggest
challenge facing the region.
The cost of energy is heavily
subsidised across the region, giving
little incentive to citizens to reduce
their energy consumption and as
a result the Arab world is amongst
the least energy-efficient markets
in the world.
An overwhelming
majority of young
Arabs believe they are
entitled to subsidised
energy costs, while
concern about
climate change is low
across the region
The majority of Arab youth believe they are entitled
to reduced-cost fuel, despite subsidised programmes
threatening economies and encouraging prolific use of
precious energy reserves. When asked about whether or
not they think energy, electricity and transport fuel such as
gasoline and diesel should be subsidised by their government,
three quarters (74%) of respondents agree while just one
in four (26%) believe they should pay the market rate.

Yes No
74
26
70
30
74
26
75
25
75
25
75
25
74
26
68
32
78
22
69
31
79
21
73
27
77
23
74
26
78
22
72
28
73
27
78
22
75
25
Among
All
Arabia
GCC
Rising cost of living
National economy
Corruption in government and public life
Pan-Arab economy
Israel Palestinian conflict
Personal debt
Unemployment
The loss of traditional values and culture
Threat of terrorism
Human rights
Unrest in Syria
Standards of living
Crime / law and order
The gap between the rich and the poor
Opportunities for women
Road safety
Impact of the events of the Arab Spring
The quality of education
Shortage of affordable housing
Rise of Islamist movements/role of Islam in political life
Lack of political franchise/right to vote
Shortage of good quality health care
Access to clean water
Increasing militarisation and/or nuclear proliferation in the Middle East
Reliable electricity supply
Censorship/lack of press freedom
Climate change and the environment
Energy subsidies BY COUNTRY
Do you think energy, electricity and transport fuel such as gasoline and
diesel should be subsidised by your government?
BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING THE MIDDLE EAST
Which of the following would you say is the biggest challenge facing
the Middle East today?
51
40
37
32
27
23
23
22
22
21
20
19
19
19
18
17
17
15
15
15
13
11
11
10
10
9
6

10
In-depth Insights
Though television retains its top position, a growing number
of young Arabs are sourcing their news online amid a growth
in smartphones, which has produced a generation that is
online 24-7. As more youngsters go online to seek their news,
the number opting to read newspapers is declining. While
three in five (59%) of youngsters cite online as their preferred
platform of choice, three in ten (31%) say newspapers.
The popularity of social media is also gaining traction as
access to internet via smartphones and tablets grows, with
29% saying they get their news from sites such as Facebook
and Twitter, just up from 28% in 2013. As online influencers
and bloggers gain in prominence, so too has trust in social
media risen with two in five youth (39%) now believing social
media to be the most trusted source of news, up from just
more than one in five (22%) the previous year and just one
in ten (9%) in 2012.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are ranked first and third globally
in terms of smartphone penetration, both at over 70%. Saudi
Arabia - where the youth account for 20 million among the
country’s 27.34 million people - is the biggest consumer of
YouTube content per capita and one of the world’s most active
Twitter users, while young people across the region are
adopting smartphones at a rapid rate.
In line with global trends, the popularity of radio and
magazines is declining across the Arab world as youngsters
move online. While two in five (41%) respondents across the
region said their primary source of news was radio in 2010,
just 7% say the same in 2014. While trust in radio and
magazines both rose slightly in 2014, it remains significantly
low for both media at just 2% for radio and 1% for magazines.
Trust in television rose slightly in 2014 to 43% from 40%,
though remains significantly below the 60% peak in 2011.
While still high by global standards, the percentage of Arab
youth who say they update themselves on news and current
affairs on a daily basis has not yet surpassed the peak seen
in 2012. Nearly half (47%) of young Arabs update themselves
on news and current affairs on a daily basis, up from 46%
the previous year but down from 52% in 2012.
Television is the most
popular source of
news for the sixth
year running, but
a growing number
of young Arabs are
turning to online
and social networks
to get their news
Television remains the primary source of news for three
quarters (75%) of the region’s youth for the fifth consecutive
year, cementing its position as the most popular choice of
news media. The popularity of television has been steadily
increasing over the last three years, after peaking at the height
of the Arab Spring in 2011 (at 79%) rising from 72% in 2013
and 62% in 2012.

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
NEWS SOURCES
Where do you get your news?
Trusted news sources
In your opinion what is the most trusted source of news?
76 79
62
72
75
52
60
49
40
43
47
42
51
59 59
9
22
39
65
62
32
34
31
26
19
18
9
14
20
28 29
31
15 14 16
21
4
1
3
1 2
41
29
10 6 7
25
17
6 8 7
3
1 2
0 1
Television Online Newspapers Social media Friends and family Radio Magazines
Television Social media Newspapers Radio shows Magazines
NEWS consumption
How often do you update yourself on news and current affairs?
Daily Nearly every day 2-3 times a week Once a week Once every 2-3 weeks Once a month Never
2011
2012
2013
2014
18
10
46
47
22
52
13
18
22
19
15
9
15
6
6
7
6
1
4
3
11
2
3
2
8
5
9
8

Country Population
(million)
GDP-PPP
(USD billion)
Contribution
of Oil to GDP
(%)
Youth
unemployment
(15 to 24 yrs)
(%)
Internet
Users
(million)
Internet
Penetration
Rate
(%)
Facebook
Users
(million)
Facebook
Penetration
of population
(%)
GCC
Saudi Arabia 27.34 927.8 45 28.3 14.7 54 7.8 28
UAE 8.26 381 25 12.1 7.02 85 4.26 51
Qatar 2.05 198 50 1.3 1.8 88 1.14 55
Kuwait 3.25 173.4 50 11.3 2.56 79 1.38 42
Oman 3.31 95 45 15 2.1 63 0.84 25
Bahrain 1.3 35 11 28 1.14 88 0.52 40
Levant and the other Middle East
Iraq 32.57 210 90 20 7.9 25 6.4 19
Lebanon 4.43 64.3 NA 17 2.7 61 1.9 43
Jordan 6.5 40 NA 29 3.5 54 2.65 40
Palestine 4.48 7 NA 27 1.5 33 1 23
Yemen 26 61.6 25 33 4.4 17 1.4 5
North Africa
Egypt 86.9 551.4 NA 24.8 38.2 44 18.6 21
Algeria 38.8 284.7 30 28.4 5.8 15 4.32 11
Morocco 33 180 NA 18.6 18.1 55 5.25 16
Tunisia 10.9 108.4 NA 42.3 4.5 41 3.4 31
Libya 6.24 87.9 80 30 1.18 19 1.6 25
NOTE:
Source for Population, GDP and Youth Unemployment figures is: Global Finance Country Economic Reports, UAE Ministry of Economy, Kuwait News Agency,
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Trading Economics; Source for Internet: Internet World Stats and World Banks;
Source for Facebook: Social Baker, Allin1social.com Internet World Stats; Source for data on Palestine: Palestine Central Bureau of Statistics
Population figures are largely fair estimates given the lack of scientific and timely census in most countries, and are estimates for 2013; the internet
penetration and Facebook penetration rates in the region have been revised based on the new population figures available
GCC, LEVANT AND NORTH AFRICA:
ECONOMIC, DEMOGRAPHIC
AND IT INDICATORS

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