Part 3/12:
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, returning to power after a decade, candidly acknowledges the pandemic's toll on the economy. The pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities, hitting Bhutan’s fragile economy particularly hard. Unemployment hovers just above 5.5%, but youth unemployment skyrockets to 29%, propelling many young talents to seek opportunities abroad, especially in Australia. Last year, about 15,000 visas issued to Bhutanese nationals surpassed the cumulative exits of the previous six years, fueling fears that many may not return, risking a significant brain drain.