Al-Dardari to Asharq Al-Awsat: Gaza Regressed 21 Years in Human Development

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli raid on a house in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Thursday. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli raid on a house in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Thursday. (Reuters)
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Al-Dardari to Asharq Al-Awsat: Gaza Regressed 21 Years in Human Development

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli raid on a house in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Thursday. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli raid on a house in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Thursday. (Reuters)

Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Regional Director for Arab States, Abdullah Al-Dardari, said that numbers published in the media “cannot capture the scale of the catastrophe that the Gaza Strip is witnessing.”
Al-Dardari pointed to the continuation of the Gaza war, the worsening humanitarian crisis, the lack of life requirements, such as energy and clean water, and the interruption of education, in addition to the significant decline in the levels of health service after a number of hospitals went out of service.
In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat from Amman, Al-Dardari echoed the statements of European Union foreign policy official Josep Borrell, who said that the situation in Gaza was “an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.”
“We have never seen this scale of destruction in such a short period of time,” he remarked, adding: “The economic effects of the war on Gaza will remain for a long period of time.”
Al-Dardari noted that more than 60 percent of Gaza’s homes were destroyed so far - homes that have been partially or completely wiped out.
“This damage exceeds the percentage of destruction in any war, whether a civil war, an internal conflict, or a conflict between countries since World War II in this short period,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Al-Dardari revealed that the Gaza Strip has gone back about 21 years in human development, and lost $50 billion worth of investments in health, education, infrastructure, sanitation, and energy.
“The war destroyed most of the UNDP projects in Gaza,” he said, recalling the Saif al-Quds confrontations that broke out in May 2021, during which 1,700 homes were destroyed in Gaza, of which only 200 were rebuilt.
“These 200 homes were destroyed during the war taking place today,” he underlined, referring to the slow pace of reconstruction programs in the unstable areas.
The UN official estimated the losses of the entire Palestinian economy at about 8 percent of the Palestinian GDP, equivalent to $1.7 billion, out of the Palestinian national product, which amounted to $20 billion.
However, he said: “The loss is not in these figures, but rather in the massive decline in human resources development.”
“The wheel of development will be stalled... especially in light of the talk about the complete cessation of about 90 percent of economic activities in Gaza,” he explained.
The UN official talked about the initial repercussions of the war on the West Bank, pointing to huge economic losses.
“As you know, Palestinian farmers were unable to harvest olives in season, nor to collect their citrus production, as a result of the settlers’ attacks and the bad security situatio,” he stated.
Although Gaza constitutes only 20 percent of the Palestinian GDP, the decline of the Palestinian economy by 8 percent in two months is a significant matter, according to Al-Dardari.
He explained: “Expectations indicate that if the war continues for three months... the impact on the gross domestic product will reach 2.5 percent, one billion dollars for the Palestinian economy as a whole.”
The Human Development Index includes three basic components: The first is the per capita share of national product, the second is the number of years of education, and the third is life expectancy at birth. These components form indicators of health, education, and the economy. In Gaza, the economy suffered a major shock, health was clearly destroyed, as well as education.
In this context, the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations confirmed that Gaza has now almost returned to what was before 2002. He said: “Everything that has been built in Palestinian human development so far has been erased. We must start from that point in 2002, and we do not know how many years it will take us to reach that point.”
Al-Dardari expected poverty rates in Palestine to rise from 1.8 million Palestinians to 2.3 million, i.e. an increase of about 500,000 people.
“This is only in two months... poverty does not usually increase to such large proportions during very short periods,” he remarked.
He indicated that the effects of the war on Gaza exceed a year and a half of the repercussions of the Covid-19 crisis in terms of poverty and unemployment, as the number of unemployed people has increased by about 300,000 people.
According to Al-Dardari, the scale of the economic, developmental and humanitarian catastrophe was never seen in such a short period of time. He said that two million people were currently without homes, hospitals and schools.
“Rebuilding all of that, housing people, and restoring some health and educational services, drinking water and sanitation require time and costs,” the UN official underlined, adding: “I can describe reality as a hotbed of humanitarian explosion, meaning the explosion of all humanitarian problems at the same time.”
Al-Dardari warned that if the war continued for an additional three months, losses incurred by neighboring countries, including Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, would reach 4.5 percent, or about $19 billion.
“This number is large even though these countries are not involved in the war. In Lebanon the situation may be partially different, but countries other than Lebanon are affected by the repercussions of the Gaza war, and to compensate for these losses you will need additional investments and a long time. Estimates indicate that the three countries will lose two to three years in human development,” he affirmed.
Regarding the situation in Lebanon, the UN official noted that a special report will soon be issued, saying that up to this moment, 40,000 olive trees have been burned in southern Lebanon due to phosphorus bombs.
“This constitutes income for thousands of families,” he emphasized.

Al-Dardari concluded that if war continues at the same pace of violence and destruction, the number of poor people will rise to more than half a million in these three countries.
“This war has so far had tangible regional effects, but those can be contained. If the war continues, the consequences will be great and the international community will bear the responsibility of compensating for these losses,” the UN official said.
He added: “We demand an end to the war. There is an opportunity if the war stops now, because its economic effects in the region, although tangible, are still containable. The expansion of time will double these effects.”

 

 

 



Nigeria Nears Military Agreements with Saudi Arabia to Boost Security, Combat Terrorism

Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)
Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)
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Nigeria Nears Military Agreements with Saudi Arabia to Boost Security, Combat Terrorism

Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)
Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defense, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, told Asharq Al-Awsat that his country is close to signing military agreements with Saudi Arabia. These deals will include joint training, capacity-building programs, counterterrorism training, and intelligence sharing.

He said Nigeria is working to strengthen its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia. “My visit focused on boosting military cooperation and ties with the Saudi Armed Forces,” he added after meeting Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.

Matawalle said his country believes in Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting regional stability and global security. He noted that his visit aimed to explore new opportunities, share ideas, and strengthen cooperation to address common security threats.

Matawalle said the talks focused on boosting security ties, including counterterrorism training and intelligence sharing.

“We aim to solidify Nigeria’s partnership with Saudi Arabia and finalize agreements on joint training programs and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen our armed forces,” he said.

He also visited the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) headquarters in Riyadh, where he met Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi to discuss enhancing cooperation in security and counterterrorism with Saudi Arabia and other member states.

Counterterrorism Efforts

Nigeria has made strong progress in fighting terrorism, thanks to multi-faceted strategies, according to Matawalle. He pointed to the success of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, which has significantly reduced banditry in the northwest.

In the northeast, groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP have been largely defeated through Operation HADIN KAI, he said, crediting military action and international partnerships, including with Saudi Arabia, for improved intelligence and training.

Matawalle also praised a recent counterterrorism conference in Nigeria, calling it a vital step.

“It highlighted the importance of working together to tackle terrorism and strengthen regional security,” he said.

Matawalle said that the recent counterterrorism conference helped countries share strategies, intelligence, and best practices. He stressed the need for a united front against terrorist networks and highlighted the event’s role in boosting collaboration between African nations and global partners.

Matawalle added that the conference reinforced Nigeria’s leadership in regional security and the importance of partnerships like the one with the IMCTC.

Nigeria Calls for Stronger Arab-African Role in Regional Crises

Matawalle urged Arab-African nations to work together to stop the wars in Palestine and Lebanon. He called for collective action to push for a ceasefire and provide humanitarian aid to those affected.

He emphasized the need for Arab-African countries to use their influence in organizations like the UN and African Union to seek a fair resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On Sudan’s crisis, Matawalle reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for peaceful solutions through inclusive dialogue. He stressed that clear mandates, logistical support, and collaboration with local stakeholders are essential for success.

“Nigeria is ready to work with regional and international partners to ensure peace initiatives succeed,” he said, highlighting Nigeria’s leadership roles in ECOWAS and the African Union. He also backed deploying mediators to secure ceasefires and deliver humanitarian aid.

Matawalle said deploying African forces in Sudan could succeed if efforts are well-coordinated, properly funded, and internationally supported.

He expressed optimism, pointing to growing agreement among African nations on the importance of African-led solutions. With backing from the African Union and global partners, he believes such initiatives could protect civilians and promote lasting stability.