The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically worsened life for citizens in the world’s poorest countries, according to a new UN report. The UN’s Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) “Least Developed Countries Report 2021” says the pandemic has brought about the countries’ worst growth performance in 30 years and “has reversed progress achieved on several development dimensions, especially poverty, education, nutrition and health.” Compounding the problem is the chronically low rate of vaccination in the countries, relative to those in developed countries. Of some 1.1 billion people living in the world’s least developed countries, just 2% have been vaccinated. “Today LDCs find themselves at a …
