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UN: War in Yemen Has Set Back Development By Two Decades

A United Nations-commissioned report has found that the civil war in Yemen has set the impoverished country’s development back by more than 20 years. The UN study determined that if the conflict is to end this year, the fighting will have caused economic losses of nearly $90 billion. The study also noted that if the fighting continues until 2030, the economic losses will top $650 billion and leave 71 percent of the population in extreme poverty, and 84% malnourished. The UN Development Program’s representative for Yemen was quoted as saying that “even if there were to be peace tomorrow, it could take decades for Yemen to return to pre-conflict levels.” Since 2015, a Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Gulf countries has been waging war in Yemen against Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and driven some 15 million others to the brink of starvation.