By Zoila Palma: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that ongoing military escalation in the Middle East could push tens of millions of people into poverty worldwide, with impacts extending far beyond the countries directly involved in the conflict.
New projections show that as many as 32 million additional people could fall into poverty across 162 countries, particularly affecting those already vulnerable to economic shocks.
According to the UNDP, while the immediate effects are concentrated in conflict-affected nations and those reliant on imported energy, the long-term consequences are expected to hit poorer countries hardest.
Regions including the Gulf, Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Small Island Developing States are identified as especially at risk, as rising energy and food costs strain already limited resources.
The findings, published in a policy brief using Global Trade Analysis Project modelling, indicate that the crisis is shifting from an “acute” phase into a more “enduring” one. The longer the disruption continues, the greater the risk of deepening poverty levels in vulnerable economies, particularly under scenarios where shocks persist for up to 8 months.
“War is development in reverse. Conflict can undo in weeks what countries have built over years,” said Alexander De Croo, UNDP Administrator and UN Under-Secretary-General.
He added, “This new analysis shows that the shock of the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East is not limited to the countries directly affected, but falls disproportionately on those with the least fiscal room to absorb higher energy and food prices.” He further warned that “for these countries, the crisis forces impossible trade-offs between stabilizing prices today and funding health, education, and jobs tomorrow.”
To mitigate the impact, the UNDP recommends targeted and temporary cash transfers as the most effective immediate response for fiscally constrained countries, estimating that up to US$6 billion may be required depending on the severity of the crisis.
Additional measures include limited subsidies or vouchers for essential energy consumption.
The post International News: UNDP warns Middle East conflict could push up to 32 million into poverty worldwide appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that ongoing military escalation in the Middle East could push tens of millions of people into poverty worldwide, with impacts extending far beyond the countries directly involved in the conflict. New projections show that as many as 32 million additional people could fall into
The post International News: UNDP warns Middle East conflict could push up to 32 million into poverty worldwide appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
