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The United Nations has warned about the economic impact of the Corona epidemic on the Arab world, saying it will throw more than 14 million people into poverty.
A United Nations report estimates that 17 million jobs have been lost in recent months.
According to the report, some countries’ economies will shrink by up to 13 percent, while losses in the region will exceed $ 150 billion.
The report also says efforts to tackle the pandemic will create opportunities to address longstanding problems, such as gender inequality.
“The Arab region, with an estimated population of around 436 million people, has kept infection and mortality rates initially below the global average, but recent developments are alarming,” the UN report said.
The report says the impact of the outbreak is likely to be profound and widespread over time.
The report expected the region’s economy to contract by at least 5.7%.
“Solidarity is a key element in resolving and limiting the impact of COVID-19,” Rola Dashti, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, told reporters.
He indicated that this solidarity must be expressed within each country as well as between Arab countries.
The report states: “It is necessary to provide economic and social support to individuals and families and (also) to establish regional solidarity funds.”
The report added that countries should “reduce inequality of opportunity by publicly investing in health, education, social security and technology.”
In a statement accompanying the report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “The region has the largest human gender (development) gap.”
“Recovering from Covid-19 is an opportunity to invest in women and girls and to ensure equal opportunities, which will have lasting benefit for all,” she added.
Dashti said poverty is likely to increase in the Arab world, with “one in four living in poverty”.
He added that the Corona outbreak threatens 55 million people in need of help, including 26 million refugees and displaced persons. Of these, around 16 million suffer from food insecurity.
He said that among the positive steps countries in the region have taken to tackle the outbreak are support for informal trade in Egypt and the provision of payment services by the banking sector to some countries.
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