UNDP Report Highlights Gaza’s Development Challenges
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has released a report detailing the severe impact of war on Gaza’s development, setting it back by as much as 69 years. The report emphasizes the need for lifting economic restrictions, enabling recovery, and investing in development to restore the Palestinian economy to pre-war levels.
Key Findings
The report outlines that without comprehensive recovery and reconstruction efforts, the Palestinian economy may struggle to progress, relying solely on humanitarian aid. A proposed plan includes strategic investments and lifting economic restrictions to realign with Palestinian development goals by 2034.
Scenarios for Recovery
One scenario, the “Non-Restricted Early Recovery (NRER),” suggests lifting restrictions on Palestinian workers and restoring withheld revenues to the Palestinian Authority. This plan, combined with US$280 million in humanitarian aid and US$290 million annually for recovery, aims to boost productivity by 1% each year.
Impact on Human Development Index (HDI)
The report warns that by the end of 2024, the Human Development Index (HDI) for the State of Palestine could fall to levels not seen since 2004. Specifically, Gaza’s HDI is projected to drop to 0.408, equivalent to 1955 levels, erasing 69 years of progress. The West Bank’s HDI is expected to decline to 0.676, reflecting a 16-year setback.
UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner highlighted that even with annual humanitarian aid, the economy might not recover to pre-crisis levels for a decade or more.
Doubts Revealed
UNDP -: UNDP stands for the United Nations Development Programme. It is an organization that works to help countries improve their people’s lives by reducing poverty and building better futures.
Gaza -: Gaza is a small region located in the Middle East, near Israel and Egypt. It is home to many Palestinian people and has faced conflicts and wars over the years.
Development Set Back -: When we say ‘development set back,’ it means that progress in making a place better for living, like building schools and hospitals, has been reversed or stopped.
Economic Restrictions -: Economic restrictions are rules or laws that limit trade and business activities. In Gaza, these restrictions make it hard for people to buy and sell goods, which affects their economy.
Human Development Index (HDI) -: The Human Development Index (HDI) is a way to measure how well people are living in a country. It looks at things like education, health, and income to see how developed a place is.
Achim Steiner -: Achim Steiner is a person who works for the United Nations. He is the head of the UNDP and helps countries improve their development and living conditions.