Poorer parts of Middle East need more investment to cut down on inequalities: World Bank

Dubai: The World Bank is calling on Mideast countries to invest more in poorer areas outside major cities to limit inequalities in the region.

It says Middle East and North African governments can use a mixture of policy decisions and targeted investments rather than big-ticket projects and subsidies to raise living standards for citizens living in less developed areas.

Specifically, the World Bank recommends that the countries invest in people living in areas that have historically been neglected, create transportation and commercial links between poor areas and richer cities, and help coordinate development projects with local leaders and the private sector.

The Washington-based body made the recommends in a report released on Tuesday in Dubai.