Phenyo Tanka’s experience in the labour market highlights a broader challenge facing Botswana as policymakers seek to reduce the country’s long-standing dependence on the diamond sector and create employment opportunities across a more diversified economy.

Tanka, 39, graduated with a degree in agriculture in 2011, entering the workforce with qualifications in a field widely viewed as important to economic diversification efforts. More than a decade later, she says she has been unable to secure employment in the sector despite submitting numerous applications for positions related to her studies.

Her situation illustrates the difficulties faced by some graduates attempting to translate academic qualifications into formal employment opportunities in sectors that have yet to generate sufficient jobs to absorb skilled workers.

Botswana is internationally recognised for the role diamonds have played in transforming its economy since independence. Revenue generated by the mining industry has supported infrastructure development, public services and economic growth over several decades.

At the same time, policymakers have repeatedly identified economic diversification as a national priority aimed at reducing vulnerability to fluctuations in commodity markets and creating broader employment opportunities.Against that backdrop, agriculture has frequently been cited as one of the sectors with potential to contribute to economic expansion beyond mining.

However, Tanka’s experience reflects the challenges that can emerge when employment creation does not keep pace with educational attainment and workforce participation.After graduating in agriculture in 2011, Tanka sought employment in the field she had studied. According to her account, repeated applications failed to result in a job offer, leaving her outside the sector despite her qualifications.

The prolonged search for work eventually led her to pursue self-employment opportunities rather than continue relying exclusively on formal recruitment processes. While she has not secured a position in agriculture, she has continued to explore ways to generate income independently.

Today, Tanka operates a small business producing and selling homemade cakes. The venture represents an entrepreneurial response to limited employment opportunities and reflects a broader trend in which individuals seek alternative income sources through small-scale enterprise when formal jobs are difficult to obtain.

Her ambitions extend beyond her current business activities. Tanka said she hopes to establish a toilet paper manufacturing operation, signalling an interest in expanding into light industrial production and building a larger commercial enterprise.The transition from university graduate to entrepreneur was not part of her original career plan.

However, after years of unsuccessful job searches, self-employment has become her primary economic activity.Tanka said her entrepreneurial goals are also shaped by personal considerations, particularly her desire to provide an example for her children.“I have two girls and I want them to know that they can also be independent, as ladies,” she said.

Her comments reflect a focus on economic self-sufficiency and the role entrepreneurship can play in creating opportunities when conventional employment pathways prove difficult to access.The experience of graduates such as Tanka continues to draw attention to the relationship between education, labour market demand and economic diversification.

While higher education provides skills and qualifications, employment outcomes ultimately depend on the capacity of industries and businesses to create positions that match those skills.In economies seeking to broaden their productive base, the challenge often extends beyond training workers.

It also involves fostering investment, supporting business development and creating conditions in which new sectors can generate sustainable employment opportunities.For Botswana, efforts to diversify economic activity beyond diamonds have been a recurring policy objective.

The country’s development strategy has frequently emphasised expanding activity in sectors capable of contributing to growth, employment and economic resilience.Tanka’s experience provides a personal perspective on that broader economic challenge.

Despite obtaining a university degree in a sector considered important to diversification efforts, she has remained unable to secure employment in her field since graduating in 2011.Yet her response has not been to withdraw from economic activity.

Instead, she has pursued entrepreneurship through her cake business while planning future ventures that could potentially create additional income streams.More than a decade after completing her studies, she continues to seek opportunities to build a sustainable livelihood. Her efforts underscore the realities faced by some graduates navigating labour markets where the availability of skilled employment remains limited relative to demand.

As Botswana continues to pursue economic diversification, experiences such as Tanka’s highlight the importance of translating policy objectives into employment opportunities capable of absorbing qualified workers and supporting broader economic participation.

For Tanka, that process remains personal as well as economic. While her search for employment in agriculture has yet to yield results, she continues to pursue business opportunities and invest in plans she hopes will provide both financial independence and an example for the next generation.

“I have two girls and I want them to know that they can also be independent, as ladies,” she said.

Employment among Saudi women in the private sector has exceeded one million for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s labor market transformation under Saudi Vision 2030, according to analysis by Al Eqtisadiah.

The rise in female employment comes alongside a broader decline in unemployment, which fell by 0.3 percentage points to 7.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. The figure brings the Kingdom closer to its Vision 2030 target of 7 percent, a threshold first reached in late 2024 before fluctuating through 2025.

Labor market gains have been underpinned by sustained economic growth, particularly in non-oil sectors, supported by government spending and expansionary fiscal policies. Analysts attribute job creation largely to private sector expansion and structural reforms aimed at increasing workforce participation among Saudi nationals.

Female employment has been a central driver of this shift. Prior to the launch of Vision 2030, unemployment among Saudi women stood at 34.5 percent, significantly contributing to overall joblessness. By the fourth quarter of 2025, female unemployment had declined to 10.3 percent, its lowest level since official records began in 1999.

At the same time, female labor force participation rose by 0.8 percentage points to 34.5 percent, exceeding the Vision 2030 target. Male participation also increased, reaching 64.7 percent. However, male unemployment edged up slightly to 5.6 percent, indicating a divergence in labor market dynamics across genders.

Overall unemployment, which includes both citizens and expatriates, rose marginally by 0.1 percentage points to 3.5 percent. This increase was driven by a rise in non-Saudi unemployment, which reached 1.7 percent.Economic indicators suggest that employment growth is closely tied to broader macroeconomic performance.

Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product expanded by 5 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking the fastest pace in four quarters and the eighth consecutive quarter of growth. The oil sector recorded a 10.8 percent increase, its strongest expansion in over three years, supported by higher production levels.

The non-oil sector maintained steady growth of 4.3 percent for the 20th consecutive quarter, reinforcing its role as a key pillar of economic diversification. In contrast, the government sector contracted by 1.2 percent, its first decline in more than two years.

Within the private sector, employment gains among Saudi nationals have been substantial. A total of 811,000 jobs were added over the period, including approximately 533,000 positions filled by women and 278,000 by men. As a result, total Saudi employment in the private sector rose to 2.55 million, representing a 52 percent increase.

Women accounted for 66 percent of new jobs created for Saudi citizens in the private sector, highlighting their growing role in the workforce. The increase reflects a series of policy reforms aimed at improving access to employment opportunities and reducing structural barriers.

Key measures have included lifting restrictions on women’s participation across multiple industries, advancing wage equality, and updating maternity regulations. Authorities have also introduced targeted programs to support female employment, including training initiatives, childcare services, and policies designed to enhance workplace inclusion.

Mobility reforms, including the lifting of restrictions on women driving, have also contributed to increased workforce participation by improving access to jobs. In parallel, government initiatives have encouraged private sector firms to hire more women, aligning corporate practices with national employment objectives.

The expansion of female employment has had a measurable impact on the overall labor market, contributing to a sustained decline in unemployment among Saudi nationals. Analysts note that continued progress will depend on maintaining economic growth, particularly in non-oil sectors, and further integrating women into emerging industries.

The data indicates that structural changes in the labor market are gaining traction, with female participation emerging as a key factor in achieving broader economic goals.

The HSBC flash India Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index, compiled by S&P Global, fell to 56.5 from February’s 58.9, missing expectations in a Reuters poll and marking the sharpest slowdown in 18 months. While readings above 50 indicate expansion, the drop signalled a loss of momentum at the end of the fiscal year.

Manufacturing slowdown deepensThe manufacturing sector bore the brunt of the slowdown, with its PMI declining to a 4-1/2-year low of 53.8 from 56.9. Factory output growth weakened to its softest pace since August 2021, reflecting heightened uncertainty and subdued consumer demand.

The services sector, which makes up the bulk of India’s economy, also eased, with its PMI slipping to 57.2 from 58.1.Cost pressures intensifyInput costs rose at their fastest pace since June 2022, driven by higher prices for oil, energy, food, metals and chemicals.

Firms responded by increasing selling prices at the quickest rate in seven months, though some absorbed costs by compressing margins.India’s heavy reliance on imported energy has amplified the impact.

As the world’s third-largest oil importer, it sources about 90% of its crude and nearly half of its natural gas from overseas, making it vulnerable to price shocks linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have risen more than 40% since the conflict began.

External demand offers supportDespite weakening domestic demand, international orders rose to their highest level since the sub-index was introduced in 2014, with businesses reporting increased demand from Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.

Business confidence improved to its strongest level since September 2023, supporting the fastest pace of job creation since August, even as inflation risks mount and growth prospects face renewed pressure.