Global Scans · Poverty · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Due to a deteriorating global economic outlook, more than 130 out of 189 countries will experience reduced income growth, with the average global GDP growth rate falling from 4.1 percent to 3.1 percent between 2011 and 2030. Almost all of the countries with large numbers remaining in extreme poverty in 2030 will be in sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia.

• [New] Over the next six decades, the number of people could drastically fall as the world's poorest countries break free of poverty. The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com
• [New] Artificial intelligence could eliminate poverty. The Intercept
• [New] Over the next 20-50 years, healthcare will evolve from a sickness industry to a wellness ecosystem, powered by artificial intelligence, genomics, and a deep, continuous understanding of individual biology. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] Social Security's meager increases will not be enough, and the Census Bureau estimates that about 10% of retirement-age Americans live in poverty. The Senior Citizens League
• [New] Humanitarian information systems are processes used to identify and anticipate the locations and magnitude of crises around the world. Nature
• [New] If current trends continue, military spending could more than double to $6.6 trillion by 2035, even as humanitarian needs continue to rise. UN News
• By 2050 AMR-related deaths in Africa could soar to 4.1 million each year, pushing millions into extreme poverty and reversing decades of progress in infectious disease control. Africa CDC
• More than 16 million people in Myanmar, of a population of 51 million, will require life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection in 2026. The Guardian
• Despite the numbers of needy people approaching 300 million, the UN's hyper-prioritised global humanitarian appeal cut its 2026 ask to $23 billion. The National
• The most recent tariffs will increase the number of Americans living in poverty, between 650,000 and 875,000. Bread for the World
• With the 2025 humanitarian appeal only 30% funded, millions remain without help, forcing reductions, disruptions, and difficult prioritization decisions, while needs will remain immense in 2026. Secretary-General
• Nigeria's poverty rate would reach 62% in 2026. Penkelemesi
• Climate risk will have far-reaching impacts on national security and global stability, with effects already apparent in extreme weather events, species extinction, rising sea levels and growing poverty. Medium
• FAO's new Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal seeks $2.5 billion to support 100 million people in 54 countries: FAO's December Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal for 2026 finds that acute food insecurity has tripled since 2016, even with high levels of humanitarian funding. World Hunger News
• Estimates 16.5 million people in Syria require humanitarian assistance in 2025 which will spill over to 2026. Dynamite News

Last updated: 09 January 2026