Page 101 - COVID-19: The Great Reset

lockdowns and the ensuing economic “hibernation” that happened
in so many countries around the world will cause a 20% decline in

remittance to low- and middle-income countries, from a $554
billion last year to $445 billion in 2020. [102] In larger countries like
Egypt, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and the Philippines, for which
remittances are a crucial source of external financing, this will

create a lot of hardship and render their economic, social and
political situation even more fragile, with the very real possibility of
destabilization. Then, there is tourism, one of the hardest-hit

industries from the pandemic, which is an economic lifeline for
many poor nations. In countries like Ethiopia where tourism
revenues account for almost half (47%) of total exports, the
corresponding loss of income and employment will inflict
considerable economic and social pain. The same goes for the

Maldives, Cambodia and several others.

Then, there are all the conflict zones where many armed
groups are thinking about how to use the excuse of the pandemic
to move their agenda forward (like in Afghanistan where the

Taliban is asking that its prisoners be released from jail, or in
Somalia where the al-Shabaab group presents COVID-19 as an
attempt to destabilize them). The global ceasefire plea made on
23 March 2020 by the UN secretary-general has fallen on deaf

ears. Of 43 countries with at least 50 reported events of organized
violence in 2020, only 10 responded positively (most often with
simple statements of support but no commitment to action).
Among the other 31 countries with ongoing conflicts, the actors

failed not only to take steps to meet the call, but many actually
increased the level of organized violence. [103] The early hopes
that concerns with the pandemic and the ensuing health
emergency might curb long-running conflicts and catalyse peace

negotiations have evaporated. This is yet another example of the
pandemic not only failing to arrest a troubling or dangerous trend
but in fact accelerating it.

Wealthier countries ignore the tragedy unfolding in fragile and

failing countries at their peril. In one way or another, risks will
reverberate through greater instability or even chaos. One of the
most obvious knock-on effects for the richer parts of the world of

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