Post-COVID-19 economic recovery in the context of SDG8 and SDG9: the case of selected Eastern European countries

Abstract

Assessing the economic development of countries in the context of the tasks defined in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is essential from the point of view of determining progress in achieving the SDGs. It becomes especially relevant in periods of global challenges and disturbances, one of which is the COVID-19 pandemic. The goals of SDG8 and SDG9 contain indicators that are determined mainly by the state of development of the country’s economy, so the analysis of trends in their changes is important in the context of identifying trends in economic growth in general, as well as for evaluating progress in achieving these goals. The purpose of the study is to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic development of countries to achieve sustainable development goals and assess progress trends in the post-pandemic recovery of the economies of Eastern Europe by analyzing quantitative data from official statistical sources. The object of the study is the economic development of Eastern European countries in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study period covers the time range from 2017 to 2021 and includes both the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Eight countries of Eastern Europe were chosen as research objects. Indicators of official statistics related to SDG8 and SDG9 sub-goals were selected for analysis. The study showed a significant decrease in the values of most indicators, which was caused by the destructive effect of the pandemic. To assess the possible development trajectory, we calculated the estimated value of indicators for 2022 using the Holt-Winters method. The results showed that, despite some progress in 2021, in 2022, the values of the indicators are decreasing. Such estimates correspond to the trends provided by international institutions. We have built a composite indicator to assess the economic development trend comprehensively. The results of the evaluation confirmed the general trend towards a decrease in the level of economic growth in the context of the goals of SDG8 and SDG9 for all the countries of Eastern Europe selected in the study.