32 million people could fall into poverty due to Iran conflict - UN

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has issued a stark warning: the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran is on the verge of plunging over 30 million people into poverty. This grim projection, shared by UNDP head Alexander De Croo in Paris, highlights the devastating ripple effects of geopolitical tensions on global economic stability and human welfare.

The core issue lies in the dramatic surge in energy and fertilizer prices, direct consequences of the hostilities. These price hikes disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and developing economies, pushing millions towards destitution. De Croo emphasized the fragility of progress, noting that while building stable societies and economies takes decades, warfare can dismantle them in a matter of weeks.

This situation, framed by Utusan Malaysia, underscores a critical perspective often missed in Western media: the immediate and severe human cost of such conflicts, particularly on developing nations and the global poor. The focus on geopolitical maneuvering in Western discourse can sometimes overshadow the tangible economic devastation and humanitarian crises that unfold on the ground. The potential for over 30 million people to fall into poverty is not just a statistic; it represents a profound setback for global development and a humanitarian emergency in the making, demanding urgent attention beyond the immediate theater of conflict.

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It is a development that is going backwards. Decades are needed to build stable societies and develop local economies, but only a few weeks of war are enough to destroy them.