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The United Nations has warned of the economic impact of the Corona outbreak on the Arab world, saying it will push 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, the economy of some countries will shrink by as much as 13%, while losses in the region will exceed $ 150 billion.
The report also says that efforts to deal with the pandemic will create opportunities to tackle long-standing issues, such as gender inequality.
“The Arab region, with an estimated population of around 436 million people, kept early infection and death rates below the global average, but recent developments are alarming,” the United Nations report said. .
The report says the impact of the epidemic is likely to be deep and spread over time.
The report predicted that the region’s economy would 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.
She indicated that this solidarity must be expressed within each country as well as between Arab countries.
“Providing economic and social support to individuals and families is necessary, and (also) establishing regional solidarity funds,” the report said.
The report added that countries should “reduce inequalities of opportunity through public investments in health, education, social security and technology.”
In a statement accompanying the report, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “The region has the largest gender gap (in) human development.”
“Recovering from Covid-19 is an opportunity to invest in women and girls, and to ensure equal opportunities, which will benefit everyone in the long term,” he added.
Dashti said poverty is likely to increase in the Arab world, so “one in four may live in poverty”.
She added that the Corona outbreak threatens 55 million people in need of assistance, including 26 million refugees and internally displaced persons. Of this number, around 16 million are food insecure.
She said that among the positive steps taken by countries in the region in the face of the epidemic was the support of informal trade in Egypt and the provision of payment facilities by the banking sector to some countries.
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