![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZXQYGA5MPCC36PCBO6DBVYGEJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=3041c75c273af2956b0c6796cbaf19157722cab29c7326b83c8396f85fc81541&width=400&height=225)
A Palestinian health worker shows a box of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in Gaza City. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CRQP67WUZ25DZN2YARB63W7WKM.jpg?smart=true&auth=1df801a0b176d1028acc8bdcc430578681501face4f88cc52a44503eebdeeefe&width=400&height=225)
A worker wearing a protective face mask disinfects Iraqi students as they arrive to take their mid-year exams, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease at a school in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
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Iraqi students wearing protective face masks take their mid-year exams, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease at a school in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HBFMZKV46UF5W7IZHVXNZ34GYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=8402653aad91f437abd8a1c95ad8f010ca438fa4125b3b9859a874265a321bb3&width=400&height=225)
Healthcare workers on their way home after work, wearng masks as a precaution against coronavirus, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa/The National
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People queue as they wait their turn to receive a dose of COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at the make-shift vaccination centre at the Kuwait International Fairground in the Mishref suburb south of Kuwait City. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QRQSZRODO4VYNRPEDD5YQWND3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=266558be3395c32c4b8da4cb28d38841bf51d671c05f9bff5ded3043398dd49b&width=400&height=225)
Elderly people, wearing protective face masks amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, wait to receive a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine at a health centre, in Qatameya, Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UG2TRXLU2L3JVAU4FT7ICALYHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=78122cd38783e19536bca9a3545698031727b25b0856be30e4fc7b2e4a0c0e4f&width=400&height=225)
A woman, wearing a protective face mask amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, walks after she received a dose of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at a health centre in Qatameya, Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EM3NMA7FC6NBF4OQQT22E7VR2Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=b4684f32e5d170d5d75f33dfd768b0a287ccccb2d60892f6934a543f96c46e27&width=400&height=225)
People wait inside their vehicles to get tested for coronavirus disease at a drive-through testing station in Amman, Jordan. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DUQANE26V2UX2PTCRQ5JEWDDTY.jpg?smart=true&auth=c846cc2fcf989bda28fc8c5e020f421b5a3028253ed3abe9bf3d20ad70c400cd&width=400&height=225)
An elderly Palestinian man receives a shot of the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine in the West Bank city of Nablus. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GDXLVZ76BQUX3WDOOVCCQYP3SM.jpg?smart=true&auth=71cc8fdc00a003265c9ce3f4b4f465de8a9fc91bc0bf7157e59358abc4dd69d3&width=400&height=225)
A Palestinian health worker stands at the entrance of a Covid-19 vaccination centre in the West Bank city of Nablus. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZR54LG6GYNW6OYY74K6S5PG74A.jpg?smart=true&auth=fa9019c0ba3d5513cea5feec5e9855432babf3b0436774c83a17fd2f844f196a&width=400&height=225)
Elderly Palestinians wait for their turn to get vaccinated in Gaza City. Thousands of Palestinian health workers, the elderly, and patients with cancer or kidney disease were set to get Covid-19 vaccines as the health ministry ramped up its inoculation campaign. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZXQYGA5MPCC36PCBO6DBVYGEJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=3041c75c273af2956b0c6796cbaf19157722cab29c7326b83c8396f85fc81541&width=400&height=225)
A Palestinian health worker shows a box of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in Gaza City. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CRQP67WUZ25DZN2YARB63W7WKM.jpg?smart=true&auth=1df801a0b176d1028acc8bdcc430578681501face4f88cc52a44503eebdeeefe&width=400&height=225)
A worker wearing a protective face mask disinfects Iraqi students as they arrive to take their mid-year exams, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease at a school in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/55QTGXPNHJWO236VH7LOQKMFUE.jpg?smart=true&auth=2f51c006802a9087b7f9c120cb90a05536a49a469b39a3f7f261c5105c956e06&width=400&height=225)
Iraqi students wearing protective face masks take their mid-year exams, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease at a school in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HBFMZKV46UF5W7IZHVXNZ34GYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=8402653aad91f437abd8a1c95ad8f010ca438fa4125b3b9859a874265a321bb3&width=400&height=225)
Healthcare workers on their way home after work, wearng masks as a precaution against coronavirus, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa/The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HEVLVPB2ZBFT7TK2BJE42YMHCU.jpg?smart=true&auth=17d87c2d7968acbef916192704f1aee5906ceab3f90e5c99d13da89f5d146837&width=400&height=225)
People queue as they wait their turn to receive a dose of COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at the make-shift vaccination centre at the Kuwait International Fairground in the Mishref suburb south of Kuwait City. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QRQSZRODO4VYNRPEDD5YQWND3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=266558be3395c32c4b8da4cb28d38841bf51d671c05f9bff5ded3043398dd49b&width=400&height=225)
Elderly people, wearing protective face masks amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, wait to receive a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine at a health centre, in Qatameya, Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UG2TRXLU2L3JVAU4FT7ICALYHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=78122cd38783e19536bca9a3545698031727b25b0856be30e4fc7b2e4a0c0e4f&width=400&height=225)
A woman, wearing a protective face mask amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, walks after she received a dose of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at a health centre in Qatameya, Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EM3NMA7FC6NBF4OQQT22E7VR2Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=b4684f32e5d170d5d75f33dfd768b0a287ccccb2d60892f6934a543f96c46e27&width=400&height=225)
People wait inside their vehicles to get tested for coronavirus disease at a drive-through testing station in Amman, Jordan. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DUQANE26V2UX2PTCRQ5JEWDDTY.jpg?smart=true&auth=c846cc2fcf989bda28fc8c5e020f421b5a3028253ed3abe9bf3d20ad70c400cd&width=400&height=225)
An elderly Palestinian man receives a shot of the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine in the West Bank city of Nablus. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GDXLVZ76BQUX3WDOOVCCQYP3SM.jpg?smart=true&auth=71cc8fdc00a003265c9ce3f4b4f465de8a9fc91bc0bf7157e59358abc4dd69d3&width=400&height=225)
A Palestinian health worker stands at the entrance of a Covid-19 vaccination centre in the West Bank city of Nablus. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZR54LG6GYNW6OYY74K6S5PG74A.jpg?smart=true&auth=fa9019c0ba3d5513cea5feec5e9855432babf3b0436774c83a17fd2f844f196a&width=400&height=225)
Elderly Palestinians wait for their turn to get vaccinated in Gaza City. Thousands of Palestinian health workers, the elderly, and patients with cancer or kidney disease were set to get Covid-19 vaccines as the health ministry ramped up its inoculation campaign. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZXQYGA5MPCC36PCBO6DBVYGEJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=3041c75c273af2956b0c6796cbaf19157722cab29c7326b83c8396f85fc81541&width=400&height=225)
A Palestinian health worker shows a box of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in Gaza City. AFP
Mena region faces a ‘turning point’ and needs to press on with reforms as it recovers from pandemic, IMF says
Region's debt increased and financing needs for this year and next will reach $1.1tn, $300bn more than the previous two years, IMF official says in interview with The National
![Massoud A Derhally](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F2ef7c5fc-381a-4c43-8771-5b57d49378de.png?smart=true&auth=e4feb7be53fc027e0c78abaa1d6f082f4f272695e4446f05ee53e3b8e77284dd&width=70&height=70)
Massoud A Derhally
11 April, 2021
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