core sector communique

New Leadership Group Established, as Education Summit Agrees Improving 21st Century Skills Vital for the MENA Region

• The World Economic Forum and its partners have established a new leadership group to investigate how to improve 21st century skills for the MENA region at the Education Summit in Marrakech, Morocco.
• Rapid changes in the global economy and the demographic structure of MENA countries make job creation and employment major challenges for the region. Better alignment of educational outcomes and business needs is key.
• Reforming education systems offers opportunities and challenges. The biggest risk, however, is not to engage processes of reform at all.  

Marrakech, Morocco, 26 October 2010 –The World Economic Forum and its partners have established a new leadership group to investigate how to improve 21st century skills for the MENA region. As the pace of change in the global economy accelerates and as MENA countries face the challenge of integrating a large number of young people into the job market, reform of education is both a necessity and an opportunity. Matching educational outcomes with the needs of business and improving soft skills such as teamwork, cross-cultural management and critical thinking are essential.