Shafaq News / Minister of Planning Nuri al-Dulaimi said that the poverty rate in the country is 20 % and is concentrated in the southern governorates.

"The poverty rate in all of Iraq has reached 20 %, according to the latest survey carried out by the ministry in 2018,” Al-Dulaimi said in an interview with the semi-official newspaper "Al-Sabah" in its issue today.

He added, however, that "the percentage rises in the southern governorates, where it reaches 52 % in Muthanna Governorate, and the rates vary between the governorates according to economic activity in each governorate, we expect that the poverty rates would witness an increase in their rates due to the recent crisis, as a result of the loss of some workers in the private sector for their jobs and having no alternative income sources. "