Is the Crisis in Syria Causing Problems for Arab Countries?

Is Syria Causing Problems for other Arab Countries?

            A recent United Nations report claims that the increasing unrest in Syria may be causing problems for other Arab countries. According to many, including the Chair of the United Nations development group, this crisis is causing the development of other Arab countries to come to a halt. It is, according to the report, deleterious for “achieving the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals.” As a result of the events in Syria, approximately three million of the population has gone below the poverty line. Even more have gone below the line of extreme poverty. The report also noted that many of the countries in the region have experienced rapidly decreasing school enrollment rates due to this crisis. Without continued education, the countries in this region will surely experience troubles in their development. Most importantly, the report noted the apparent economic downturn that has occurred in Egypt, Tunisia and other Arab countries, especially in recent years. These countries have been battling transitions in power for a long time now, which has caused an increase in unemployment and poverty. This recent crisis in Syria has only served to worsen the situation in many Arab countries. In addition, the water supply in Yemen is in dire straits, due to maybe run out by 2015.  According to this report, many of the Arab countries have suffered complications reaching their millennium development goals. The recent crisis in Syria, and the political uprising such as in Egypt, can only serve to delay the completion of these goals even further beyond the intended time of completion.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45945&Cr=syria&Cr1=#.UkDa1BysiSo