Iraq: oil-wealthy nation with millions of hungry citizens

Iraq: oil-wealthy nation with millions of hungry citizens
Even with a successful economy, millions of Iraqis are hungry and lack access to clean water, Reuters reported Tuesday.

“Four million Iraqis cannot guarantee they’re going to have food on their table tomorrow,” said David Shearer, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Iraq.

Although Iraq has a significant amount of oil wealth, ongoing violence has displaced some 2.5 million people. Because of the dangerous state of the country, only a small percentage of these individuals have been able to return home.

The United Nations has made an appeal to donor governments for $265 million in 2008. As the article notes: “Elements of the appeal include food ($97 million), shelter ($37 million), health ($32 million), human rights ($26 million), water and sanitation ($21 million) and education ($18 million).”

The article also notes that Iraq’s “government said it would for the first time give $40 million from its own coffers.”

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