The President of the Government assured today that the reduction of the unemployment rate in the Azores to 8.2 percent is an incentive for the work that still needs to be done. In this regard, he announced the holding of an extraordinary meeting of the Council of the Government for the approval of measures on the components of remuneration and job insecurity.
 
"These are data that we consider positive. They show that we are progressively winning and achieving the goals we have set for our development and employment creation," said Vasco Cordeiro on the island of Flores.
 
According to data released by the National Statistics Institute today, the unemployment rate in the Azores stood at 8.2 percent in the third quarter of this year - below the national average - being the lowest since the first quarter of 2011 in the Region.
 
In addition to the sustained reduction of this rate, the Azores registered a significant increase in the employed population - more than 112 thousand Azoreans - as well as an increase in the labour force.
 
"The reduction in unemployment, combined with the increase in the employed population and labour force indicators, clearly evidences the path of sustainability we have been following in terms of job creation," said the President of the Government.
 
According to him, the development of employment in the Region is, above all, an incentive for the work that needs to be done in areas still requiring the Government's attention, taking into consideration that there are still unemployed Azoreans.
 
"From this standpoint, we need to take action and build solutions that, just as they helped creating jobs, will also continue to create jobs for these people," said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
In this context, the President of the Government announced that an extraordinary meet of the Council of the Government will be held this month. It will focus on the analysis and approval of measures that incorporate this new cycle in the regional economy. These measures aim to "strengthen our investment and our action to create even more jobs and to work on the components of job insecurity and remuneration."
 
"We should bear in mind that, just over three years ago, our unemployment rate was at 18 percent in the first quarter of 2014. Today, we stand at 8.2 percent. This is the result of efforts that are exclusive to the Government," Vasco Cordeiro said, stressing the role played by the private sector in this matter.