World Bank Forecasts Worsening Economic Situation in Syria

The World Bank released on June 09 its first comprehensive report in years on the state of the Syrian economy. The report uses innovative remote-based data to measure some key indicators, such as nighttime lights and nighttime lights-based output estimates, shipping-position data, and population and conflict maps. Some of the findings raise questions, however, while the report lacks any political economy dimension. Unsurprisingly, the forecasts for the coming years are gloomy.