Egyptian Minister of Manpower and Immigration Khaled all-Azhry said on Monday that the rate of unemployment reached 13 percent, which amounts to 32 million citizens, during the last quarter of 2012, against the 12.4 percent of 2011.

Zahry told the state news agency that the rate was measured according to the standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO), pointing that the ministry has received some 140,000 job requests since the beginning of this year and is arranging meetings between job-seekers and employers.
 
He added that the manpower ministry has drafted a plan to train about 700 youths by 2012/2013 in an attempt to prepare them to work in different fields.

The minister explained that not all governments can afford to designate allowances for unemployed citizens, citing the grave challenges that Egypt's economy has faced since a 2011 uprising.