UN: War in Iran could plunge millions into poverty
The ongoing war in Iran can push an additional 32 million people into poverty. New projections from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) show that as the war enters its sixth week, the impacts are evolving from an ‘acute’ to ‘enduring’ phase, putting people from 162 countries at risk of poverty. Countries in the Gulf region, Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Small Island Developing States are uniquely vulnerable, “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,” UNDP Administrator and UN Under-Secretary-General Alexander De Croo said. “For these countries, the crisis forces impossible trade-offs between stabilising prices today and funding health, education, and jobs tomorrow.” This comes as the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut down due to the war, causing spikes in the price of oil and causing concerns for the world’s food supply. UNDP has set out recommendations that policymakers consider targeted and temporary cash transfers to protect poor and vulnerable households as a first line of defence. D
