Middle East Institute: The Black Sea and COVID-19

The Middle East Institute has published an article written by Black Sea Security Program Coordinator George Visan about the impact of coronavirus on the Black Sea Regions, in which he says that Georgian officials have been praised by the World Health Organization for taking quick steps to combat the virus.

The author says that at the time of writing rates of infection in Georgia are still low. He also mentions that as the country suspended flights with the high-risk countries, this will have a significant impact on Georgia which relies heavily on tourism to support its economy.

Visan thinks that Russian-occupied South Ossetia and Abkhazia territories are one of the most ‘vulnerable’ regions in terms of the fight against the virus.

Given the unrecognized political status of these territories, access to aid is limited. International partners have provided occupied Abkhazia with medical supplies but the ability of the Georgian government to support the region is hindered by years of heavily restricted access and Russian aggression. Thankfully, this hasn’t prevented the opening of Rukhi General Hospital a few miles from the dividing line with Abkhazia”, writes the author.

The author recalled the promise by Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia given to the residents of the occupied region that Georgia will do its ‘utmost to protect the health of our citizens on both sides of the dividing line’.

George Visan thinks that COVID-19 will be a ‘defining crisis’ for Black Sea region countries, especially for civilians and military personnel in the conflict area of Eastern Ukraine, which is in the middle of a conflict with Russia.

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