عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

13.4% of Arab Countries’ Populations Live in Acute Poverty

A general view of a street in downtown Cairo, Egypt, March 9, 2017
A general view of a street in downtown Cairo, Egypt, March 9, 2017
TT
TT

13.4% of Arab Countries’ Populations Live in Acute Poverty

A general view of a street in downtown Cairo, Egypt, March 9, 2017
A general view of a street in downtown Cairo, Egypt, March 9, 2017

A report published this month estimated that the number of poor people in 10 Arab countries was 38.2 million, which represents 13.4 percent of the Arab population.

The first Arab Multidimensional Poverty Report was co-authored by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), the Arab League, and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

Launched on September 21 at the United Nations General Assembly, the report covers 75% of Arab population. It also indicated that 38.2 millions of Arabs live in acute poverty, and 116.1 million in moderate poverty – that is a staggering 40.6% of the population studied.

The report divides regions into 3 groups, the poorest countries are Mauritania, Yemen, Sudan, and Comoros. The poorest countries have 42.6% of their households in acute poverty and nearly three-quarters in moderate poverty (72.7%).

Among the countries covered were Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Sudan, and Iraq.

In addition to the existing poverty rate, another quarter of the population is vulnerable to domestic poverty, the report said.

Multidimensional poverty is widespread, affecting more than 4 in 10 families and children, it added.

The report's analysis of poverty in Arab countries shows that it is concentrated in some geographic regions. The percentage of the poor is higher in rural areas and in households where the head of the household is not educated.

The poorest 15 provinces or states in 11 Arab countries (after adding Palestine to the report) are located in only 3 countries: Sudan (9 states), Mauritania (5 states) and Yemen.

Poverty among children in rural areas is about 55 percent, 1.8 times over that of children living in urban areas.

The report pointed out that the issue of child poverty is vital to the Arab region, as the population of minors represents more than a quarter of the total population.

The multidimensional poverty index measures non-monetary deprivation in all its aspects, painting a more accurate picture of the situation.

The report calls for improving educational gaps, social protection, safeguarding children, rural development and establishing an Arab poverty center.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."