What prompted that? A combination of factors has sparked protests. About 60% of the population in this region under the age of 30. Most of the graduates were employed because they do not have the qualifications and experience employers need. Many of these young people have not seen a change in government since they were born. The impact of worldwide recession and food prices are exacerbating the situation. Aspiration is not being charged. These factors are not new. History is replete with revolutions driven by the lack of what my history teacher used to call "Yummies in the stomach".
What makes it different now is that young people are connected through technology - the global television, phone, internet and social networks like Facebook and Twitter. The days of state-controlled media well and truly over. Technology has exposed the youth to other cultures, global politics, religion, and concepts such as liberty, democracy, and civil rights. The last one has been organized through the social network where everyone is connected but nothing that stands as a leader. How to put a regime, faced with no leader, the rebellion?
Is this going to end? It's hard to say. Every country is different. It is possible that the protest may be losing energy and in time the status quo is dissolved. But unless the factors driving the changes that addressed the possibility of the protests will continue.
If you accept employment of expatriates in this region? My suggestion is that you do your homework before accepting an offer. Do not make the mistake of assuming that the whole of North Africa and the Middle East in flames. I have talked to many expatriates in the region. Obviously if you consider an offer in Egypt, Libya, or Tunisia you have to be careful and maybe wait or look for alternatives. These countries have seen a mass evacuation of expatriates and the civil war now looks likely in Libya.
In the U.S. Gulf has been a lot of drivers for youthquake neutralized by a joint oil and gas wealth, focusing on education and skills development for the citizens of the countries concerned, to ensure lower levels of unemployment among the youth. In Bahrain the most concerning issues of political representation. In the Gulf of life continues as it did in the past for expatriates. Expatriate life has been totally unaffected by the turmoil in the region and, in my view, unlikely to be affected in the future. Expatriates still receive a job offer and the people do not leave it as a very low staff turnover.
