BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 2
Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
As in other countries, Georgia’s ability to make a swift and sustained economic recovery depends first on its ability to get the coronavirus pandemic under control, the USAID mission in Georgia told Trend.
"The Government of Georgia is currently focused on providing people with life-saving vaccinations. The US government, including USAID, is supporting the Government of Georgia in that regard," said the source.
Governments around the world have been forced to make difficult choices to protect their citizens during the coronavirus pandemic, the source noted.
"This has created economic hardship in many countries, including Georgia. Gross domestic product declined by 6.1 percent in 2020, and some of Georgia’s largest and fastest-growing sectors were the most vulnerable, with tourism, hospitality, and restaurant industries getting hit especially hard," the USAID noted.
"If we take a longer view, we can see that COVID-19 has exposed major vulnerabilities in Georgia’s development, reinforcing the need for reforms to stimulate greater private sector investment, innovation, and economic diversification," the source added.
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