Jordan Times
Thursday, October 7, 2004
Fighting Iraqi poverty through micro-credit to top Jordan conference agenda
AMMAN (AFP) — The use of small loans to alleviate poverty in Iraq is to top the agenda of the Arab world's first conference on micro-credit to be hosted by Jordan, organisers said on Wednesday.
The October 10-13 forum “will seek to find ways and mechanisms to combat poverty in Iraq and the role of small projects in enabling the Iraqi people to overcome the repercussions of war,” a statement said. The Middle East and Africa Region Micro Credit Summit “will make recommendations to help Iraqis by encouraging micro-credit projects which are an effective tool to contain poverty,” it added.
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank believe unemployment affects between 50 and 70 per cent of the country's eight-million strong working population since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. An Iraqi delegation will be among 600 delegates from around 50 countries due to attend the, summit to be co-chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania and Prince Talal Ben Abdul Aziz.