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https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/coronavirus-to-plunge-millions-into-poverty-in-arab-worldPublished by: MIDDLE EAST EYE on 23 Jul 2020
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The coronavirus pandemic may push more than 14 million people in the Arab world into poverty, and is likely to compound the effects of armed conflicts in the region, a UN report warned. The UN's Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia said in a report on Thursday that the economic falloutfrom the pandemic and low oil prices could see Middle East economies contract by 5.7 percent this year.
While dire, the UN's report painted a slightly improved picture when compared with predictions made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April.
At the time, the IMF said that the pandemic and low oil prices would likely end up shaving $323bn - more than double the UN's prediction - from the Arab world's economies. The bulk of that loss, $259bn, was expected to come from the energy-dependent Gulf states.
Still, according to the UN, a staggering 14.3 million people are expected to be pushed into poverty this year, increasing impoverished people in the region to 115 million - a [...]
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Who are Middle East Eye?Middle East Eye (MEE) is a United Kingdom-based media website and channel that primarily focuses on news related to the Middle East, North Africa, and the broader Muslim world.
What is Coronavirus?Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that are typically mild, such as the common cold, though rarer forms such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 can be lethal. Symptoms vary in other species: in chickens, they cause an upper respiratory tract disease, while in cows and pigs they cause diarrhea. There are yet to be vaccines or antiviral drugs to prevent or treat human coronavirus infections.
Who are Arabs?Arabs are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs from Morocco to Iraq share a common bond based on ethnicity, language, culture, history, identity, ancestry, nationalism, geography, unity, and politics which give the region a distinct identity and distinguish it from other parts of the Muslim world. They also have their own customs, literature, music, dance, media, food, clothing, society, sports, architecture, art and, mythology. Arabs have significantly influenced and contributed to human progress in many fields, including science, technology, philosophy, ethics, literature, politics, business, art, music, comedy, theatre, cinema, architecture, food, medicine, and religion. Before Islam, most Arabs followed polytheistic Semitic religion, while some tribes adopted Judaism or Christianity and a few individuals, known as the hanifs, followed a form of monotheism.
