the government debtgdp ratio declined in egypt and lebanon see table and public sector employment also declined especially in egypt while it is difficult to offer reliable statistics widely accepted estimates put the overall escwa unemployment rate in at per cent while youth unemployment stands at between and per cent these figures are approximately twice as high as the international average in conflict areas such as iraq and palestine unemployment rates in were and per cent respectively worse still in youth unemployment rates in jordan and egypt were and times higher than adult unemployment rates respectively