Economic consequences of COVID-19 on national minorities and importance of post-pandemic recovery policies focus of OSCE discussion

National minorities and other vulnerable groups are at risk of paying the highest costs of COVID-19’s economic consequences, said participants of an online discussion hosted by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) on 30 October 2020. 

Post-pandemic recovery policies should consider carefully the socio-economic inclusion of excluded groups to prevent escalation of conflicts and preserve social cohesion as one of the main pillars for a secure and stable OSCE region. 

Academics, practitioners and policymakers discussed relevant research, analysis and practices that could help address the persistent economic marginalization and exclusion of minorities, further exacerbated by the pandemic.

“In the HCNM recommendations, we called on the participating States to pay particular attention to low-wage workers, informal labourers, and persons without access to identity documents or formal bank accounts,” said HCNM Director and Officer-in-Charge, Christophe Kamp. “Since many persons belonging to national minorities are self-employed or have small businesses, including many operating in cross-border areas, they are particularly vulnerable to measures to contain COVID-19.”

Kamp said that the participating States are encouraged to support such businesses and to make sure that they are not disproportionately harmed by the consequences of the crisis. “States are further encouraged to take positive actions to counter minorities’ economic marginalization and exclusion, including by co-operating with the private business sector,” he said.

The Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities Vuk Žugić said that the economic crisis and the massive loss of jobs triggered by the pandemic are likely to pose a significant threat to sustainable development, security and stability, worldwide, including in the OSCE region. “Policy choices have the potential to either reduce or widen inequalities; either promote sustainable and equitable growth or increase the exclusion of the most vulnerable. Transformative thinking is needed now more than ever.”

Žugić underlined that accelerating a transition towards more equitable and sustainable patterns of development is not only in line with the international commitments, but it will pay back in terms of stability, social cohesion, and security for all. “We are able to measure our progress in pursuing stability and security through the lenses of the socio-economic inclusion of those who are most vulnerable.”