You are here
IMF says Mideast unemployment, debt expected to increase
By AFP - Apr 15,2020 - Last updated at Apr 15,2020
The logo of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is seen on a wall of its headquarters in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2020. (AFP photo)
DUBAI — Debt levels, unemployment and budget deficits will spike as the Middle East endures a coronavirus-led recession, piling pain on economies already hit by conflicts and an oil price slump, the IMF said on Wednesday.
Almost all countries in the Middle East and North Africa will see their economies contract as they lose hundreds of billions of dollars in revenues, the global lender said.
"The COVID-19 pandemic and the plunge in oil prices are causing significant economic turmoil in the region ... the impact could be long lasting," the International Monetary Fund said in its Regional Economic Outlook for April.
"While there is considerable uncertainty around the depth and duration of the crisis, this pandemic will compound the region's unemployment problem and worsen the already high public and external debt."
In its World Economic Outlook released on Tuesday, the IMF projected the MENA economy to contract by 3.3 per cent in 2020, the biggest slump in four decades.
It said the combined shocks of the virus and low oil prices will shave off $323 billion, or 12 per cent, of the Arab world's economy -- $259 billion of that from the energy-dependent Gulf states alone.
Arab governments' debt will rise by 15 per cent or $190 billion this year to reach $1.46 trillion, according to the IMF data, as the cost of borrowing jumps due to tightening financial conditions.
Oil prices at these levels could result in more than $230 billion in lost annual revenue by Arab oil exporters plus Iran, it said.
The fiscal deficit for the region is expected to deteriorate from 2.8 per cent of gross domestic product in 2019 to 10 per cent of GDP this year.
To mitigate the impact, regional nations should bolster social safety nets, and provide temporary and targeted tax relief and subsidies, while monetary and financial policies should ensure liquidity in the system, the IMF said.
"Governments could consider reorienting spending priorities, for example by reducing or delaying non-essential expenditures, or seeking external financing support or aid," it said.
"A mishandling of the outbreak could elevate distrust in local governments, sowing seeds for further social unrest and adding to regional uncertainty."
Arab countries ravaged by years of bloody conflicts, including Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Libya, have already seen their economies battered, leading to widespread poverty.
The economies of these countries are expected to be hit particularly hard by the pandemic, the IMF said.
Related Articles
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia unveiled plans on Monday to triple its Value Added Tax (VAT) and halt monthly handouts to citizens, as part of a serie
DUBAI — The Middle East and North Africa economy will contract by 3.3 per cent this year, the biggest slump in four decades, hammered by the
DUBAI — Saudi shares plunged on Sunday, a day after the finance minister announced "painful" measures to tackle the economic impacts of the