Six billion people – that’s the bulk of the developing world – look set to suffer from the economic impact of the new coronavirus pandemic, the UN trade and development organization, UNCTAD, says. 

Even before the disease hits the most vulnerable countries on the planet – those that rely on exporting their raw materials – the UN body says that there were clear signs late last year, that 2020 was going to be a very tough year. 

In an interview with UN News’s Daniel Johnson by Skype, UNCTAD economist Richard Kozul-Wright outlines how a radical plan worth a staggering $2.5 trillion, could help avoid some of the worst financial consequences of COVID-19.