UN to allocate $1 mln to protect vulnerable groups from COVID-19 shocks in Georgia
Georgia is one of the first 46 countries to receive $1 million (about €924,126) from the United Nations to protect vulnerable groups from COVID-19 shocks. Photo: Nino Zedginidze/UNDP.
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UNDP Head in Georgia Louisa Vinton says Georgia’s response to the pandemic has undoubtedly saved lives and it will be studied in the future as a best practice.
But here, as everywhere in the world, COVID-19 has also exposed social vulnerabilities and economic imbalances. The UNDP therefore welcomes the resolve of Georgia’s leaders to go beyond ‘business as usual’ to design a recovery plan that builds on the positives and neutralizes the negatives to map out a path to a green, fair and inclusive future”, said Vinton.
Georgia is one of the first 46 countries to receive $1 million (about €924,126) from the UN to protect vulnerable groups from COVID-19 shocks.
UNDP in Georgia posted on its Twitter account that the organisation helps Georgia to build fair and inclusive future:
In #Georgia as everywhere in the world, #COVID19 has exposed social and economic vulnerabilities.
— UNDP in Georgia (@UNDPGeorgia) May 11, 2020
As the lead UN agency in socio-economic recovery, UNDP helps the country #BuildBackBetter mapping out a path to a green, fair and inclusive future.
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The new framework defines five core areas of UN support for socio-economic recovery:
- Ensuring health services and systems
- Expanding social protection and basic services to enable people to cope with adversity
- Protecting jobs and businesses, including the informal sector
- Securing funding and adapting macroeconomic policies and trade to ensure recovery for all
- Promoting social cohesion and investing in community resilience.
Administrator of the UNDP Achim Steiner mentioned that as the Georgian government begins to ease restrictions on economic activities, attention has turned to the country’s post-crisis development agenda.
There are now two ways for all countries to invest in the economy of the past or in the economy of the future… The Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia stated the main goal of the Georgian government is to save the economy and speed up the recovery of our citizens. We are ready to learn from this experience and take active action to make our society even stronger from this crisis”, said Steiner.
UNDP has adjusted its annual USD 20 million (about €18,482,528) programme for Georgia to assist in the pandemic response.
Support has been provided in informing vulnerable groups and remote communities about COVID-19 risks and prevention, supplying Russian-occupied Abkhazia and IDP (internally displaced persons) communities with protective gear, medical supplies, training and grants to protect rural livelihoods.
The European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a GEL 9 million grant programme together with the Georgian Agriculture and Rural Development Agency (ARDA) to help Georgia’s rural regions respond to the economic and social challenges amid the coronavirus crisis.
Frontline health workers, local civil servants and other risk groups in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and the regions will receive a total of 40,000 protective face shields produced by Georgian company CaucasPack.
The Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) has published an article in its analytical series Common Crisis written by Georgia’s First Deputy Minister Vakhtang Makharoblishvili, in which he details how Georgia is preparing for the worst but hoping for the best during the COVID-19 crisis.
Washington Times has published an article written by Tim Constantine about Georgia’s successful fight against COVID-19. Constantine interviewed Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister Maya Tskitishvili, who says that there were multiple factors which explains Georgia’s ‘tremendous success’ in this battle for the health of its people.
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the lending arm of the World Bank Group, has approved €73.1 million under the 'Emergency COVID-19 Response Project' for Georgia. The project aims to help the government’s efforts to mitigate and address the health and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is offering €91,340,000 to help Georgia prevent and respond to threats caused by the coronavirus pandemic, announces the Finance Ministry of Georgia. The loan agreement was signed today under the 'Emergency COVID-19 Response Project' for Georgia.
The French Development Agency will allocate €190 million to Georgia to contain the spread of the coronavirus and support energy reforms in the country, announces the Finance Ministry of Georgia. Georgian Ministry of Finance and French Development Agency signed the agreement today.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million loan to help Georgia contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, mitigate the impact on businesses, and protect the livelihoods of the most vulnerable, including women and children.
The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on Georgia at its 43rd session in Geneva, yesterday, reiterating its support for the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, condemning Russia’s actions in Georgia’s occupied regions and praising the efforts of the Georgian government to strengthen democracy.
A five-year cooperation plan between Georgia and the United Nations will aim to ensure steps towards sustainable and inclusive economy, decentralisation, benefits for the disabled and vulnerable and other areas, after the signing of the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework signed on Friday.
Georgian Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili on Thursday discussed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, efforts for its prevention and future plans of his office at a United Nations General Assembly meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in New York.