UN: Corruption, Tax Evasion Cost Developing Countries $ 1.26 trillion  Annually

The United Nations (UN) revealed that corruption, bribery, and tax evasion cost developing countries about 1.26 trillion US dollars annually, saying, "Let us work to achieve peace and justice and build strong institutions."

The United Nations said in a tweet via its official account on Twitter that  “Corruption, bribery, theft and tax evasion cost developing countries approximately 1.26 trillion US dollars annually, an amount that can be used to improve the livelihoods of those who earn less than 1.25 dollars per day.

The organization stressed the importance to work towards achieving peace, justice and building strong institutions.

In another context, five United Nations agencies have committed to support the School Meals Alliance, a grouping of more than 60 countries led by France and Finland, whose vision is to give every child in need the opportunity to have a nutritious meal at school by 2030.

According to the United Nations report, “Globally, more than 150 million children miss meals, basic health services, and nutrition.

The five UN agencies - the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO)  and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - announced their strong support for the international alliance that It aims to rapidly improve nutrition, health, and education for school-aged children around the world.

School health and nutrition programs are effective mechanisms to support the growth and development of school children and adolescents,” the agency heads said in their joint declaration.

The alliance added that these programs can help fight child poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in all its forms, and the alliance will work to restore school meals and other health and nutrition programs that existed before the pandemic, expanding its reach to reach 73 million children who did not benefit from pre-pandemic programs, and raising its quality in part by setting standards and linking them to local production where possible.