New York, (ONA) – A United Nations report titled “Covid-19 and the Arab Region”, issued recently, said that the pandemic is an opportunity to approach nation building in a better way. The report pointed out that the Sultanate is amongst the Arab countries that are most prepared to handle Covid-19.
The report referred to the Sultanate’s advanced rating in Human Development and Healthcare Index and the country’s ideal communication record, noting that Oman received 0.834 points in the Human Development Index and a high rating in Spending on Health, which constituted 4.3% of the Gross Domestic Product. It also referred to Oman’s prominent ranking in the Ability to Communicate Index, due to the high number of mobile phone subscriptions and fixed line broadband subscriptions.
The report indicated that the spread of coronavirus revealed serious rifts and deep-rooted weaknesses in societies, institutions and economies around the world. The report said that the Arab, which has a population of 436 million, took precautionary action early and maintained firm regulations that kept infection and mortality rates much below world average upon the outbreak of the pandemic. However, other aspects need the attention of the region, particularly the inadequacy of healthcare systems—primary healthcare in particular—in a number of countries.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that, though the Arab region boasts a massive volume of resources and a huge potential for growth, most countries of the region face difficulties in responding to economic slowdown marked by steep decline in oil prices, remittances and tourism revenues due to coronavirus pandemic.
Guterres said he expects the Arab economy to suffer a setback of more than 5% if some countries face a depression of more than 10%.
Guterres pointed out that people stranded in armed conflicts face far more serious challenges, particularly refugees and victims of domestic displacement, whose numbers touch 26 million. Those segments are prone to suffer the brunt of the pandemic.ONA