As countries agonize how to ease restrictions and start taking baby steps toward reviving daily life, for developing nations in the Mideast and Africa, there simply aren't the tools to find a way out from the pandemic if it explodes. zkaram & bmroue
In this Tuesday, April 14, 2020 photo, volunteers from Lebanese charity Beit el-Baraka, fill boxes with essential food supplies to distribute to the poor, during a lockdown due to the coronavirus, in Beirut, Lebanon. Wealthier Western countries are considering how to ease lockdown restrictions and start taking gradual steps toward reviving business and daily life. But many developing countries, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, can hardly afford the luxury of any misstep.
Consider Lebanon, a tiny country teetering on the abyss of bankruptcy with a fragile health system and a restless population. A monthlong lockdown has thrown tens of thousands more people into poverty, putting pressure on the government to loosen restrictions. But medical resources are limited, prompting doctors to advocate for continuing them, even at the risk of a social explosion.
Western nations also face a severe economic downturn, but the impact is softened by massive government rescue programs for businesses and struggling families, including $2.2 trillion in the United States. EU countries have agreed on a $550 billion package and are working on tax breaks and other measures to cushion the impact.
Lebanon has been hesitant to apply for IMF assistance mainly due to reservations by the powerful Hezbollah group that it would come with conditions and encourage political interference. In Africa, the virus has been confirmed in 52 of 54 countries, and lockdowns appear to be choking the continent’s already vulnerable food supply.
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