In the aftermath of the 2003 terrorist attacks carried out by nationals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, then Crown Prince Abdullah argued that youth unemployment was the kingdom’s biggest challenge.
Fast-forward 13 years, and the problem remains a pressing issue for the Arab state.
“Abdullah singled out youth unemployment as Saudi Arabia’s No. 1 security challenge — and it is,” Helima Croft, head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told Business Insider in an interview on Tuesday. “That’s the Achilles’ heel of Saudi Arabia — the question of how to deal with its young population.”