The International Monetary Fund has warned that Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan will need decades to recover from conflicts on their territories, after lowering growth forecasts in the region.
The IMF said Israeli military operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the civil war in Sudan will have lasting effects.
According to a statement issued on the occasion of the IMF's publication of its latest report on the region, "the damage caused by these conflicts will leave lasting scars in their centers for decades."
The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecast for the Middle East and North Africa to 2.1 percent for 2024, down from its previous forecast in April, due to wars and oil production cuts. However, according to the IMF's regional economic forecast, growth will return to 4 percent next year.