Eesti in brief - 2009-10-07

Oct 07, 2009

According to the Foreign Ministry, Estonia sent an information technology expert to Indonesia, along with the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination teams to support victims of the earthquake in Indonesia. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that preparations are going on in cooperation with the Interior Ministry and the Rescue Board to send an approximately 20-member Estonian rescue team to Indonesia. "The help of the Estonian rescue team was highly valued in dealing with the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Estonia's help is expected in Indonesia this time as well," said Paet. The foreign minister noted that the conditions in Indonesia are very complicated and the nation has asked for help in stabilizing the situation.

Young people aged 15-24 have suffered the most in the economic crisis, reports LETA. In the first quarter of 2009, the unemployment rate in this age group increased by more than three times compared to the same period last year. The overall increase in unemployment has mostly been caused by the surge in unemployment among those aged 15-24. Youth unemployment started increasing consistently from the third quarter of 2008 and surged to 24.5 percent by the first quarter 2009. Young persons who were born during the "singing revolution" period have started entering the labor market over the past few years. Unemployment is still a short-term phenomenon - three fourths of the unemployed have been searching for jobs for less than a year. However, unemployment may become long-term in the context of a lack of available jobs. 

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