África: crise económica origina crise humanitária e de desenvolvimento

Photo: Julius Mwelu/IRIN

An event to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty in Kenya: The current global financial crisis will hit most poor people hard, according to a World Bank and International Monetary Fund report

NAIROBI, 7 May 2009 (IRIN) - The global financial crisis is rapidly turning into a human and development crisis, and could prevent many vulnerable countries from attaining the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), according to a World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) report.

"For poor countries, this is a crisis upon crisis. It comes on the heels of the food and fuel crises," states The Global Monitoring Report 2009: A Development Emergency.

"The triple jeopardy of the food, fuel, and financial crises is pushing many poor countries into a danger zone, imposing rising human costs and imperilling development prospects," it noted.

"Poor people typically are the hardest hit, and have the least cushion. For millions of them, the crisis puts at risk their very survival."

According to the two institutions, both middle- and low-income countries will be hit hard in 2009 by a second wave of effects reflecting the global recession and declining world trade. Poor countries will be affected via reduced export volumes, commodity prices, remittances, tourism, foreign direct investment, and possibly even foreign aid.

Regarding the MDGs, the report warns that risks abound, although the first goal of halving extreme poverty by 2015 from its 1990 level is still reachable, based on current projections.

"Sub-Saharan Africa will see a rise in the poverty count in 2009, with the more fragile and low-growth economies especially at risk," the report says.

"Globally, we estimate that because of the crisis there will be more than 50 million additional people living in extreme poverty in 2009 than expected before the crisis, compounding the impact from soaring food and fuel prices of recent years."

Toll on children

The World Bank and the IMF estimate that as a result of sharply lower economic growth rates, about 200,000 to 400,000 more babies may die each year.

"School enrolments will suffer, especially for girls," the report noted.

"We need strong and urgent actions to counter the impact of the crisis on developing countries by helping them to boost growth while protecting the poor," the two institutions said.

Poor people typically are the hardest hit, and have the least cushion

They identified priority areas for action as an adequate fiscal response in developing countries to protect the poor and vulnerable groups; support for the private sector and improvement in the climate for recovery and growth in private investment.

Others include redoubling efforts in human development in order to recover lost ground in progress toward the MDGs; strengthening key public programmes for health and education; donors delivering on their commitments to increase aid; and governments holding firm against rising protectionist pressures in efforts to maintain an open international trade and finance system.

"While the responsibility for restoring global growth lies largely with rich countries, emerging and developing countries have a key role to play in improving the growth outlook, maintaining macroeconomic stability, and strengthening the international financial system," the report notes.