The World Bank reported on Saturday that more than a quarter of the Syrian population is living in extreme poverty after 13 years into a devastating conflict that has severely impacted the economy and left millions in poverty.
In two new reports on Syria, the World Bank highlighted that approximately 27 percent of Syrians, around 5.7 million individuals, “live in extreme poverty.”
The prolonged conflict in Syria has devastated the economy, infrastructure, and industries. Meanwhile, Western sanctions added more challenges.
One of the reports pointed out “Extreme poverty, while virtually non-existent before the conflict, affected more than one in four Syrians in 2022,” which may have been worsened by the Feb. 6 earthquake that claimed the lives of around 6,000 in Syria.
According to the report, areas in Northeast Syria show the highest poverty incidence and that more than 50 percent of the extreme poor live in three governorate, Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor.
According to the United Nations, approximately 90 percent of Syrians are currently living in poverty. It had previously estimated that 2 million individuals were trapped in extreme poverty after more than a decade of warfare.
The World Bank also highlighted that the continued funding shortfalls and restricted access to humanitarian aid put further strain on impoverished Syrians who are already suffer from high prices, reduced services, and increasing unemployment.
The report said Syria’s estimated GDP stood at around $6.2 billion in 2023, whereas Syria’s “real GDP is projected to contract by 1.5 percent in 2024, extending the 1.2 percent decline in 2023.”
