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.