Five effects of the spread of “Corona” in the Arab world

Scenes of everyday life recede into the streets of Arab cities, which are generally crowded with people, in conjunction with the epidemic of the “emerging corona” virus (Covid-19), as part of the preventive precautionary measures taken by the governments to prevent the spread of the growing infection of the disease around the world.

However, the institutions of some countries witnessing armed conflicts in the region are also increasing “fragility and disintegration”, according to a report by the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy at the American University of Beirut, and these institutions are more weak in terms of fulfilling their fundamental roles in preserving the lives of their citizens.

According to the report published yesterday Friday April 3, this “fragility” in the face of the problem of the spread of “Corona” results in economic, social and health problems, which of course affect the political and military sphere.

Also read: How does the “Corona” virus affect human rights

Severe test foreshadows a “legal crisis”

The authorities of the countries of the Arab Spring having recovered their capacities to “subjugate society under the pretext of fighting against violence, terrorism or politics”, these countries are facing a difficult test to contain the “first traumatic crises” of the last two decades, according to the report, knowing that many of these countries have recorded a low level of confirmed cases of the “Corona” virus, according to official government figures.

Should the governments of the region fail to deal with the “Corona” crisis, they will face a “crisis of legitimacy” according to the report prepared by a group of influential thinkers from Lebanon and the region.

The spread of the “Corona” virus has succeeded in emptying the streets of demonstrators in Algeria, Lebanon and Iraq, and the armies of the region have regained public places, under the pretext of implementing measures of “compulsory quarantine at home “, amid fears of using disease control systems to strengthen social control through” health isolation “measures and follow the movements of protesters and opponents. In these countries.

The impact of “Corona” on the region will be “more serious” than the rest of the world, according to the report, as three countries (Syria, Libya and Yemen) are experiencing multiple military conflicts.

The spread of the “Corona” virus could create the conditions for a re-intensification of the military activities of certain armed groups, such as “the Islamic State” in Syria, according to a research document by Syrian researcher Sasha Al-Alou, published yesterday Friday by the “Omran Center for Strategic Studies”.

The 12-page research suggests the Syrian regime could exploit the spread of the virus in the country, as an area for political and military investment, by facilitating the arrival of aid to the regime, and its efforts to lift international sanctions. which were imposed on him as a humanitarian justification for dealing with the pandemic.

And the outbreak of “Corona” imposed on certain countries participating in armed conflicts, decisions to withdraw their forces, and the Iraqi authorities announced the departure of French forces who were operating there for fear of spreading the viral infection among their soldiers. .

Read also: Syrian regime media face “Corona” with security mentality

Domestic violence increased during quarantine

The report by the “Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy” documented the consequences of the virus outbreak on the lives of people in the Middle East region, especially women, because “the abundance of observations and Reports on the outbreak revealed many areas of concern in the region, including the increase in domestic violence during quarantine, ”according to the report. .

Public services for the protection of women and girls victims of violence are ineffective or weak (such as hotline, legal support, psychosocial support and others), on top of that, many women lose their jobs which they work without a contract legal, according to the report.

Refugees living in “weak health systems”

In addition to the growing plight of refugees and internally displaced people, especially since they are not among the groups that are of primary concern to governments in the region for health care.

People live in Jordan’s “Zaatari” camp, home to around 120,000 Syrians, amid concerns about “Corona” arriving in the camp, due to their inability to obtain health care and lack of health care. information on how to protect yourself from the pandemic infection, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. United.

Read also: “Discriminatory restrictions” against Syrian refugees in Lebanon under the pretext of “Coronavirus”

Most of the world’s 25.9 million refugees reside in developing countries, where intensive care units often contain fewer beds and fewer ventilators. As a result, most refugees in host countries live in “the weakest health systems in the world,” according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Peace is “needed now” in Yemen

UNHCR has warned that the protracted conflict in Yemen has displaced thousands of people from their homes in recent weeks, and that the ongoing displacement will exacerbate the hardships and risks Yemeni families face.

According to data from the International Organization for Migration, escalating fighting in Al-Jawf, Marib and Sana’a governorates in northern Yemen since January has resulted in the displacement of more than 40,000 people to the city of Marib and its surroundings, east of the capital, Sanaa.

She stressed that “peace is more than ever necessary”, according to the expression of the UNHCR, after five years of conflict in Yemen, for fear of an epidemic of the virus “Corona” in the country.

Growing economic damage

A United Nations report released on March 30 indicates that two-thirds of the world’s population living in developing countries (excluding China) face unprecedented economic damage from the Corona crisis, and the United Nations is asking for a $ 2.5 trillion package for these countries.

The report added that the speed at which economic zones resulting from the virus have been hit is “enormous”, even compared to the 2008 global financial crisis.

In the last two months since the virus began to spread outside of China, according to the report, developing countries have suffered negative effects in terms of capital outflows, rising bond margins, depreciation. currency and loss of export earnings, particularly due to lower commodity prices and tourism income.

The impact of the dissemination of “Corona” on the health sector

Returning to the report of the “Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy”, the report showed at a time of the spread of the “Corona” virus that health insurance systems in Arab countries do not cover working groups with their services. until retirement age, thus ignoring the protection of non-working groups who are older. the work.

In addition, little effort has been made, according to the report’s assessment, to understand and address the “plight of women in the health sector”, particularly for frontline workers to deal with the spread of the disease. viruses (such as doctors, nurses, auxiliaries and cleaners).

It was noted, for example, through the report, that nurses at Lebanon’s main hospital (Rafic Hariri Government University Hospital in Beirut), who treat people infected with the Corona virus, have received half of their salary since the start of the economic crisis.

The report recommended the need to create an efficient healthcare system capable of reacting quickly under such circumstances, stressing that effective and successful medicine is the product of good systems and not the product of rich medical institutions or cutting edge technology.

Read the dossier: “Corona” in the air. Will it be added to the Syrian crises?

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