UN warns: Triple crisis could push millions back into poverty

Developing countries are facing three major crises at once: high energy costs, the El Niño weather pattern, and rising borrowing costs. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warns that without urgent help, these problems could push tens or even hundreds of millions of people back into poverty. The UNDP is the UN's development agency. El Niño is a climate pattern that causes extreme weather, including droughts and floods, which damages crops and food supplies in vulnerable regions. Alexander De Croo, the UNDP's administrator, spoke ahead of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok this week. He called for "solidarity and global action" from the international community. The warning highlights the growing pressure on poorer nations as they struggle with costs they did little to create.