UNDP releases report on the social and economic impact of COVID-19 in Central Asia
Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) grew richer over the past two decades, however, the fruits of this growth were unevenly spread, with large informal sectors and gaps in health and social protection systems leaving large numbers of people vulnerable to socio-economic shocks.
COVID-19 cruelly exposed these vulnerabilities, as lockdowns and over-burdened health systems pushed hundreds of thousands of people into poverty. The pandemic now seems to be accelerating across much of the region, further exacerbating the health crisis and bringing further pain.
A new UNDP report on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Central Asia published on 16 November explains how lockdowns, closed borders, global economic contagion, and other factors have slashed growth and employment, and deepened poverty. The report suggests that the challenges to the region are already more difficult than those posed by the global financial crisis of 2008-2009.
The report is the first in a three-part series. Subsequent reports will cover the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in the Western Balkans and in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus later this year.