🍃 Global fuel prices surge. South Asia sees falling unemployment gap. Gulf water production is driven by desalination.
Chart of the Day #589 looks at the educated population in South Asia facing unemployment, fuel prices and desalinated water production in the Gulf.
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Today's Topics
🎓 Higher Education. The unemployment gap declined in South Asia
🍃 Green Skills. Global fuel prices spike
🏭 Advanced Manufacturing. Gulf water production is heavily reliant on desalination
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🎓 The unemployment gap declined in South Asia
The share of unemployed individuals with higher education in South Asia declined by over 2 percentage points from 2018 to 2023. The decrease presents an improvement in job absorption for graduates across the region. Expanding opportunities in technology driven sectors, particularly AI and digital services, are creating new roles for skilled workers. Growth in outsourcing, startups, and digital platforms is increasing demand for educated talent. The Digital Economy Initiative, supported by the World Bank, promotes skills development and tech employment.
🍃 Global fuel prices spike
Global fuel prices range from $3.90 per litre in Hong Kong to $0.03 in Iran in March 2026. The wide gap reflects taxation, subsidies and supply conditions. Higher prices in Europe and Hong Kong are linked to environmental taxes and import dependence, while lower prices in Russia and Iran reflect domestic production and price controls and subsidies. Energy pricing reforms and subsidy adjustments by governments continue to shape fuel affordability and demand.
🏭 Gulf water production is heavily reliant on desalination
Desalinated water production in the Gulf reaches 3 billion m³ in Saudi Arabia and 1.9 billion m³ in the UAE in 2026, reflecting heavy reliance on desalination. The high output is driven by arid desert climates with limited natural freshwater sources. Large-scale desalination plants use advanced manufacturing systems, including filtration membranes and energy-intensive processes, linking water supply to industrial infrastructure. Rising costs highlight the need for efficiency and innovation. The GCC Water Strategy, led by the Gulf Cooperation Council, supports sustainable water production.
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