Author: John Calabrese
Affiliation: American University (Washington, DC), Middle East Institute
Organization/Publisher: Middle East Institute
Date/Place: December 8, 2020/ Washington D.C., USA
Type of Literature: Research Article
Number of Pages: 10
Link: https://www.mei.edu/publications/iraqs-fragile-state-time-covid-19
Keywords: Covid-19, Middle East, Fragile State, Chaos
Brief:
The emergence of COVID-19 in late 2019 and its spread across the globe increased the vulnerabilities of masses living in fragile states. This study evaluates the deteriorated living standards of Iraqi people suffering the worse effect of the contemporary pandemic. The author categorizes different states based on socioeconomic standards and healthcare infrastructure. Iraq post-US invasion has suffered from institutional demise with a weak political structure and a precarious law and order situation. In addition, the spread of COVID-19 has increased the liability of Iraqi people living under a futile regime that some analysts have classified as a failed state. The most affected groups are women and young children, deprived of any standard social security measure. The government officials in Baghdad and Erbil are putting together all efforts to contain the pandemic while taking religious and civil society groups onboard. The author concludes that COVID-19 not only influenced the developed and least developed states, but also fragile states with an unknown damage estimation.
By: Muhammad Taimoor Bin Tanveer, CIGA Senior Research Associate
