Stunted children have a higher grade repetition rate. In Egypt, grade repetition cost the country 271 million Egyptian Pounds. Copyright: WFP/Laure Melo

Hunger Costs Egypt Billions Of Pounds Yearly

CAIRO - Egypt lost an estimated 20.3 billion Egyptian pounds (US$3.7 billion) or 1.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2009 as a result of child undernutrition, according to a study launched today in Cairo.

Overview

Although classified as a middle-income country and despite its high and steady economic growth during the period between 2005 and 2010, Egypt suffers from substantial regional disparities with the rural parts of Upper Egypt having the lowest socio-economic standards. The country has, in addition, suffered from the effects of a number of major international shocks since 2006; the avian influenza epidemic followed by the food, fuel and financial crisis. By 2011, 25.2 percent of the population were unable to meet their basic needs.

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