BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 21
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
The European Union supports the medium-long term recovery of the Kazakh economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Kazakhstan told Trend.
The delegation representative said that the EU constantly looks for additional possibilities to use ongoing cooperation programs to assist Kazakhstan.
"In July 2020, the EU-funded Border Management Program in Central Asia (BOMCA) handed over the essential personal protective equipment to the frontline workers of Border Service of the National Security Committee, State Revenue Committee of the Finance Ministry and Veterinary Committee of the Agriculture Ministry of Kazakhstan. The equipment included sets of full-body protective suits (gowns, face shields, respirator masks, boot covers, gloves), and medical thermal imagers," the official said.
The representative noted that another EU-funded program, focusing on the protection of children affected by migration in a number of countries, including Kazakhstan, helped to deliver humanitarian aid consisting of face masks, antiseptics, gloves, and drinking water to more than 100 labor migrants from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan who were stranded at the border in Kazakhstan in July 2020.
"The EU also supports the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR)," the official said.
"CESDRR is a permanent intergovernmental body, which aims to decrease risks of emergencies, mitigate their consequences and organize coordinated responses. The EU provides support to CESDRR through two regional EU-funded projects: Strengthening Financial Resilience and Accelerating Risk Reduction in Central Asia Program implemented by the World Bank and Strengthening disaster resilience and accelerating implementation of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia project implemented by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)," the official noted.
The delegation representative emphasized that while EU focuses on the support to the health sector during the COVID-19, the economy as a whole is also being supported.
"We do not forget that the economy as a whole has suffered as a result of the pandemic. In this respect, we believe that other existing programs, including blending projects, will also support the medium-long term recovery of the Kazakh economy," the official said.
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