tenmillion
08-18-2010, 02:47 PM
Wednesday, August 18th 2010 2:32 PM
Baghdad, Aug. 18 (AKnews) – An adviser in the outgoing Iraqi government criticized on Tuesday the international reports that say poverty rates have increased in Iraq.
"The Iraqi government considers the international reports indicating deterioration in the economic and food conditions of Iraqis as exaggerated,” said Ahmed Rashid.
"Most of those reports were not issued by international committees working in Iraq, but they depend on local non-specialized organizations which increase the complexity of the problem.
Rashid added according to a government report, Iraqis’ income has grown 1.8 percent so far this year compared to 2009. This shows, he said, that the economic power of the Iraqis is growing even if it is still weak.
A joint report by the United Nations and Iraqi government earlier this year said poverty rates in Iraq had remained unchanged in the last couple of years, standing at 22.7 percent of the population, roughly seven million people.
A survey conducted in 2008 indicated that 930,000 Iraqis suffered from food insecurity, while the number could jump to 6.4 million if the current government-sponsored food ration system stopped.
Meanwhile, an Iraqi economic expert said 55 percent of the country’s population had a 1.8 percent rise in their income as a result of the economic boom caused by the improvements in some parts of the country in the last couple of years.
However, it is not clear if the growth in income can be sustained for the rest of the year given a current rise in violence.
Preliminary studies indicate a continuing decline in poverty in the country despite the continued suspension of government employment, Samad said.
It significantly affected the per capita income of the Iraqis, said Samad, but that didn't hinder the growth in income because most Iraqis depend on jobs and enterprises in the private sector.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/174911/
Baghdad, Aug. 18 (AKnews) – An adviser in the outgoing Iraqi government criticized on Tuesday the international reports that say poverty rates have increased in Iraq.
"The Iraqi government considers the international reports indicating deterioration in the economic and food conditions of Iraqis as exaggerated,” said Ahmed Rashid.
"Most of those reports were not issued by international committees working in Iraq, but they depend on local non-specialized organizations which increase the complexity of the problem.
Rashid added according to a government report, Iraqis’ income has grown 1.8 percent so far this year compared to 2009. This shows, he said, that the economic power of the Iraqis is growing even if it is still weak.
A joint report by the United Nations and Iraqi government earlier this year said poverty rates in Iraq had remained unchanged in the last couple of years, standing at 22.7 percent of the population, roughly seven million people.
A survey conducted in 2008 indicated that 930,000 Iraqis suffered from food insecurity, while the number could jump to 6.4 million if the current government-sponsored food ration system stopped.
Meanwhile, an Iraqi economic expert said 55 percent of the country’s population had a 1.8 percent rise in their income as a result of the economic boom caused by the improvements in some parts of the country in the last couple of years.
However, it is not clear if the growth in income can be sustained for the rest of the year given a current rise in violence.
Preliminary studies indicate a continuing decline in poverty in the country despite the continued suspension of government employment, Samad said.
It significantly affected the per capita income of the Iraqis, said Samad, but that didn't hinder the growth in income because most Iraqis depend on jobs and enterprises in the private sector.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/174911/