The World Bank has listed 39 countries—including Nigeria, Libya, and Ukraine—where conflict and instability are worsening poverty and hunger.
According to a report released Friday, these countries span low- and middle-income regions globally, with 21 of them experiencing active conflict. The report notes, “Extreme poverty is growing faster and taking a devastating toll on the economies,” pushing critical development goals further away.
It reveals that since 2020, per capita GDP in these countries has declined by an average of 1.8% annually, compared to a 2.9% growth in other developing nations.
“This year, 421 million people are struggling on less than $3 a day… that number is projected to rise to 435 million by 2030,” the report stated.
Indermit Gill, World Bank’s chief economist, said, “More than 70 percent of people suffering from conflict and instability are Africans… Misery on this scale is inevitably contagious.”
Ayhan Kose, deputy chief economist, added that targeted policies and stronger global support can help prevent conflict and revive growth.