CAIRO, Aug 15 (Aswat Masriya) - Egypt's unemployment rate eased slightly in the second quarter of 2016 to 12.5 per cent from 12.7 per cent in the first quarter, state statistics agency said on Monday.

According to a statement by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the number of unemployed persons stood at 3.6 million persons, decreasing 61 thousand persons from the first quarter.

The number of unemployed however increased by 42 thousand persons when compared to the number recorded from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the labour force stood at 25 million persons, increasing by 153 thousand persons from the first quarter, with a 2.9 per cent increase from the number recorded from the second quarter of 2015. 

CAPMAS reported that 8.5 per cent of the male labour force is unemployed, decreasing from 9.3 per cent during the second quarter of 2015. Unemployment rate among the female labour force however inched to 25.6 per cent, as opposed to 24.1 per cent during the same period last year.

CAPMAS reported a higher rate of unemployment in urban areas; 14.1 per cent, as opposed to 11.2 per cent during the previous quarter.

Almost 79.8 per cent of those unemployed belong to the youth segment, aged between 15 and 29, and educated segment make up the majority of the unemployed sector; 79.7 per cent.

Egypt suffers from a relatively high unemployment rate and has been struggling to restore economic growth since a 2011 uprising toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak.