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New report details damage to Iraqi economy during COVID-19 pandemic

The report by the UN-affiliated International Organization for Migration shows how virus-related restrictions have led to revenue and job losses for small and medium-sized businesses in Iraq.
The Nabi Younes market is seen empty during a curfew imposed by Iraqi authorities, following the outbreak of coronavirus, in east Mosul, Iraq March 15, 2020. REUTERS/Abdullah Rashid - RC29KF9K7L0M

A new International Organization for Migration (IOM) report sheds light on the negative impact the coronavirus has had on the Iraqi economy. The intergovernmental organization said that restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the pandemic will continue to hurt small and medium-sized businesses in Iraq.

“The already dire situation is likely to deteriorate and become even more challenging for job and economic opportunity creation,” the IOM said in the report. “Livelihoods have been widely disrupted across the country, driven primarily by movement restrictions."

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