Inequality in Focus as Experts Debate Georgia’s Development Prospects
Inequality poses obstacles to human development in Georgia, as it does worldwide, but aligning policies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can help ensure that economic growth “leaves no one behind.”
This was the main conclusion of a discussion organized in Tbilisi today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Administration of the Government (AoG), which is responsible for coordinating the country’s progress towards the SDGs.
The event was opened by Natia Turnava, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, and Louisa Vinton, Head of UNDP in Georgia.
The event featured a presentation of the newest edition of the UNDP human development index, which ranks Georgia at 70 of 189 countries worldwide, ahead of Armenia at 81, Azerbaijan at 87 and Ukraine at 88, but behind Russia at 49, Belarus at 50 and Turkey at 59. UNDP Chief Regional Economist, Ben Slay explained that this ranking qualifies Georgia as a country of high human development, but that the country loses 12 percent of its progress when inequality is factored into the equation.
“It’s common sense that human welfare depends on more than just money,” explained UNDP Head Louisa Vinton. “Our approach goes beyond income to look at other factors like health, education and opportunity. And here we see how crucial a principle it is to commit to ‘leave no one behind.’”
“Addressing these challenges is the very priority for the Government of Georgia. It’s a core of our programme and we are actively working in this direction, "said the Head of the Prime Minister's Office, Giorgi Sakhokia. “Recognizing that many challenges remain, Georgia is committed to refining our policies to ensure that every citizen enjoys equal opportunities and a fair share in the fruits of prosperity.”
Georgia’s progress towards the SDGs was a second topic. Policy alignment is good, participants heard. A joint UN-AoG exercise concluded that 93 percent of SDG targets are reflected in national strategies, with the EU Association Agreement alone accounting for 63 percent. To accelerate progress towards the SDGs, the exercise recommended focusing on four priority areas that are currently “bottlenecks” for development: reducing disparities between rural and urban areas; creating decent employment opportunities for youth; overcoming gender gaps and other inequalities; and developing green energy.
The forum concluded with a discussion involving representatives from ministries with crucial development responsibilities on concrete efforts to fight inequality and realize the SDGs in Georgia.