UN and Turkmenistan to jointly develop measures on addressing the socio-economic impact of COVID-19

Representatives of ministries, Mejlis, Migration Service, Customs service, Union of industrials and entrepreneurs, private sector and NGOs were engaged in the thematic discussions organized along the five pillars recommended by the UN framework on immediate response to socio-economic impact of the COVID-19. These areas include:

1. Improving the quality and access to basic health services

2. Social protection and basic services

3. Jobs, support for small and medium enterprises, workers in informal sector

4. Macroeconomic stimulus and multilateral cooperation

5. Social harmony and community resilience

“It is important to develop measures aimed to support the vulnerable groups of population and affected sectors of economy in overcoming the socio-economic impact of the pandemic, because as the experience of other countries shows vulnerable groups are more likely to be affected by the negative impact of the pandemic”, noted Ms. Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator.

The draft joint Action Plan is planned to be finalized and presented during the next meeting of the Joint Working Group between the UN and the Government of Turkmenistan.

The proposed measures build on the priority directions set by the Government of Turkmenistan on addressing the negative impact of global economic crisis triggered by the pandemic and are informed by  the preliminary analysis of potential channels of  socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Turkmenistan, including on vulnerable groups presented at the 1st meeting of the Joint Working Group on April 21, 2020.