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A UN report, released Thursday, said the Covid-19 pandemic will cause Arab countries, which will push millions (a quarter of the Arab region’s population) to the brink of poverty and increase the suffering of people affected by armed conflict. in the area.
In the report, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia expects the economy to shrink by up to 13%, bringing the total loss in the region to about $ 152 billion.
The committee added that the repercussions of the pandemic are expected to push another 14.3 million people below the poverty line, which brings the total number to 115 million, which is about a quarter of the total population in the Arab world. More than 55 million people in the region depended on humanitarian aid before the pandemic, including 26 million forcibly displaced.
Contain the pandemic and its impact on the economy
Arab countries as a whole have recorded more than 830,000 injured and at least 14,717 deaths, for a contagion rate of 1.9 per 1,000 people and 17.6 deaths per 1,000 cases, which, according to the United Nations, is below the global average. of 42.6 deaths.
Despite the swift movement of most Arab countries to contain the virus in March by imposing home quarantine, restricting travel and banning large gatherings, including religious practices such as prayer in mosques, Hajj rituals, etc., these measures have caused heavy economic losses and the authorities had to reduce them in Lebanon. And Iraq and the West Bank, which have led to an unprecedented increase in casualties.
According to Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, “the economy of the region is suffering from multiple shocks due to the virus, as well as the sharp drop in oil prices, remittances and tourism”.
Oil prices are hitting an all-time low, adding to the pressure on balance sheets already under pressure in the Gulf states. Middle-income countries, such as Jordan and Egypt, have seen a noticeable decrease in remittances from citizens working abroad, and tourism has been hit in an unprecedented way.
War-torn Libya and Syria reported relatively few casualties in Yemen, where five years of civil war caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The virus is spreading in the government-controlled south, while rebels in the north hide the toll of wounded and dead.
Rola Dashti, chairman of the UN committee, says Arab countries must “turn this crisis into an opportunity” and tackle old issues, including weak public institutions, economic inequality and excessive dependence on fossil fuels.
The pandemic has exacerbated vulnerabilities which include conflict situations, weak public institutions, lack of diversification in economies, inadequate coverage of social protection systems, and high levels of unemployment and inequality.
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