Categories: World

Covid-19 further deepens Iraq's woes: UN envoy

The Covid-19 pandemic has further aggravated Iraq's already existing economic, social and political challenges, said a top UN envoy.

Poverty has increased by over 10 per cent in recent months, and a third of Iraqis now live below the poverty line, and two out of five suffer multiple deprivations in accessing basic social services and rights, Xinhua news agency quoted Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN secretary-general's special representative for Iraq, as saying.

Food consumption is now insufficient for over 3 million Iraqis, due to reduced purchasing power rather than scarcity.

More than 11 million school and university students across Iraq have seen their studies disrupted.

Gender-based violence has alarmingly doubled, amid dwindling options for victims to seek assistance and find shelter, she told the Security Council in a briefing.

Hennis-Plasschaert, who is also head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, called for a simplified system that enables currently immobilized humanitarian actors and supplies to rapidly reach people in need, as well as protection of humanitarian actors.

The economic situation is dire with an expected GDP contraction of 9.7 per cent.

Oil revenues, severely affected by a steep crash in oil prices, have nearly halved. The private sector has been particularly impacted by job losses and income reduction.

Non-oil GDP growth is decelerating in a country that badly needs economic diversification, she said.

Corruption in Iraq remains endemic, and its economic cost untold as it continues to steal desperately needed resources from the Iraqis, eroding investor confidence, she warned.

The Iraqi government recognizes these challenges and has made economic and financial reform a priority. But the political class must come together as one, prioritizing the country's interests and protecting the vulnerable, according to the envoy.

"So far, however, we have seen too little of this spirit.".

IANS

Recent Posts

EAM Jaishankar meets South Korean special envoys, discusses defence, maritime and tech cooperation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met a delegation of special envoys from the…

13 hours ago

Amnesty International slams Pakistan for using anti-terror laws to crush Baloch voices

Amnesty International has issued a report demanding the immediate and unconditional release of detained leaders…

13 hours ago

India sends 300,000 Measles and Rubella vaccine doses to Bolivia amid outbreak

India on Thursday dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles and Rubella vaccines, along…

13 hours ago

Bangladesh: 4 killed in Gopalganj as NCP rally triggers violent clashes with Awami League supporters; curfew imposed

At least four people were killed and dozens injured in violent clashes between law enforcement…

18 hours ago

Earthquake of magnitude 7.3 rattles Alaska, tsunami warning issued

An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 on the Richter Scale rattled Alaska in the early hours…

22 hours ago

“Challenge before us is to stabilise global order”: EAM Jaishankar at SCO Foreign Ministers’ meet

Amid rising global tensions and economic uncertainty, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday raised…

22 hours ago