UN Report: Middle East Faces $200 Billion Economic Loss Due to Conflict

According to Jin10, a recent United Nations study reveals that the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran could result in nearly $200 billion in lost economic growth for the Middle East. The United Nations Development Programme released an analysis early Tuesday on the socio-economic impact on Arab nations, indicating that the turmoil from the war could lead to a GDP loss ranging from $120 billion to $194 billion. The agency examined various scenarios to assess the conflict's impact, which began on February 28, on regional countries. The report's authors highlighted that even if the war ends swiftly, the damage will be profound. The overall economic loss could increase the region's unemployment rate by up to 4 percentage points, resulting in approximately 3.6 million job losses and pushing up to 4 million people into poverty. The hardest-hit areas are expected to be the Gulf Cooperation Council member states and the Levant region, with GDP losses in both areas projected to exceed 5.2%.