A four-week war could mean a USD 194 bn hit to regional GDP -UNDP

A month of high-intensity military escalation is enough to derail Arab states’ development trajectory, according to a high-level UNDP preliminary assessment report (pdf), which estimates up to USD 194 bn in GDP losses across the region. The study warns that even a “short-lived” month-long conflict is currently generating profound, persistent socio-economic scars.

Regional GDP is estimated to contract by 3.7-6%. Economic shocks from trade, energy, and finance are exacerbating already existing systemic weaknesses in the region when it comes to “economic diversification, dependence on external markets, [labor] market composition, and fiscal capacity,” the report highlights. The impacts are mainly felt through higher prices and inflationary pressures, which will “erode real incomes.”

A surge in poverty will be the starkest human impact, with nearly 4 mn additional people at risk of falling below the poverty line under high-intensity scenarios. The Levant, Sudan, and Yemen are at the epicenter, accounting for roughly 75% of this spike — up to 3.3 mn people.

There are wider human repercussions too: The Human Development Index, which measures key indicators like life expectancy, living standard, and education, is projected to drop by 0.2-0.4%, effectively erasing 6-12 months of development progress. In the Levant, that setback is more severe, potentially rolling back the clock by 1.5 years.

Unemployment is expected to rise by 1.8-4%, equivalent to 1.6-3.6 mn lost jobs. Unskilled workers are likely to bear the brunt of it, particularly in the GCC, where the labor market remains highly exposed to external shocks.

The GCC and the Levant face the sharpest macroeconomic contractions, with both subregions expected to lose between 5.2-8.7% of their GDP. Sustaining stability now requires moving beyond hydrocarbon-heavy balance sheets toward diversified production bases and “shock-proof” logistics capable of surviving a closed strait, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States Abdallah Al Dardari explained.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asia-Pacific markets were up this morning following hopeful comments from US President Donald Trump regarding a potential end to the Iran war. Japan’s Nikkei was up almost 4%, and South Korea’s Kospi rose by more than 6%. Over on Wall Street, futures are trading higher.

The values in the table above are listed according to the market position as of 3:30pm IST / 2pm GST.