{"id":168,"date":"2020-06-19T11:29:10","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T02:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/covid-19-de-facto-states\/"},"modified":"2024-04-18T13:53:48","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T10:53:48","slug":"covid-19-de-facto-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/covid-19-de-facto-states\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 in De Facto States"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an almost insurmountable issue for the majority of the world\u2019s governments\u2014official and de facto alike\u2013 to fight. In de facto states\u2013 typified for their often informal and fractured structure\u2013 COVID-19 has presented a unique challenge to govern comprehensively and cohesively. Some states have risen to the task, and others have not. Let\u2019s explore de facto states\u2019 responses to COVID-19, and what implications those responses may have.<\/p>\n

*Infection counts are accurate at the time of posting. Some data may be inaccurate due to a lack of testing or reporting in the local country.<\/p>\n

Taiwan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Infections: 445<\/p>\n

Deaths: 7<\/p>\n

Total Population: 23.78 million (2018)<\/p>\n

State of Emergency Declared: not declared<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

Image: Taiwanese army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant over a road in New Taipei City, Taiwan, March 14th, 2020 (Source: AP photo by Chiang Ying-ying).<\/p>\n

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Despite a mere 130km from mainland China, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has managed to efficiently curb the virus. With a combination<\/a> of innovative technology, an early approach, and an effective healthcare system, Taiwan has mitigated domestic transmission and cushioned the most destructive effects of the COVID-19 crisis. Taiwan\u2019s success has led to speculation<\/a> that the nation may emerge out of the COVID-19 crisis stronger than its peers\u2014both politically, socially, and economically. Taiwan\u2019s success also questions its continual marginalization in international health bodies\u2013 including the WHO\u2014but, as the world still grapples with COVID-19, the true effects of Taiwan\u2019s success remain to be seen.<\/p>\n

Kosovo<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Infections: 1,486<\/p>\n

Deaths: 33<\/p>\n

Total Population: 1.845 million (2018)<\/p>\n

State of Emergency Declared: March 15th<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

Image: Coronavirus in Kosovo (Source: Ozturk for AA, March, 2020)<\/p>\n

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Kosovo\u2019s first government was toppled on the 25th of March<\/a>\u2014two months after its formation\u2014through a vote of no confidence led by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Sparked by a purported contradiction<\/a> over the state\u2019s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fall of Kosovo\u2019s government holds very real implications for the ability of the state to respond to COVID-19, function in the future, and maintain Kosovo\u2019s (albeit often checked) sovereignty. Kosovo has been supported by international donations and cooperation, including 1,000 testing kits from neighboring Serbia.<\/a> An anonymous Serbian official told Reuters \u201cthis (coronavirus) is a stark reminder that we can resolve many problems only together,\u201d<\/a> perhaps he is right, but with Kosovo\u2019s unstable government, international cooperation may hold covert intentions.<\/p>\n

Transnistria<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Infections: 716<\/p>\n

Deaths: 35<\/p>\n

Total Population: 469,000 (2018)<\/p>\n

State of Emergency Declared: March 17th<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

Image: Medical workers in Transnistria (Source: cenzura.md, May 4th, 2020)<\/p>\n

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Despite relatively early measures<\/a>\u2014enhanced disinfection, a ban on Chinese travelers, and a halt to mass gatherings\u2014Transnistria has been hit hard by COVID-19. While the nation recognized they did not have the adequate resources necessary for counteracting a pandemic, they shirked international help. According to the president, Vadim Krasnoselsky, Transnistria should \u201crely on itself\u201d and not \u201chope for outside help.\u201d<\/a> Tensions with Moldova, and border closures with Ukraine, meant the state was unable to access essential supplies. International humanitarian concern<\/a> over Transnistria\u2019s supply of food and medicine has been strongly refuted by Transnistria\u2019s government. At a local level, according to state-controlled media, there are several public health campaigns in place to inform and help the public; however, the true nature of Transnistria\u2019s fight against coronavirus is unknown.<\/p>\n

Abkhazia<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Infections: 36<\/p>\n

Deaths: 1<\/p>\n

Total Population: 245,246 (2018)<\/p>\n

State of Emergency Declared: March 27<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

Image: Chief Medical Officer of Abkhazia, Lyudmila Skorik informing about the first COVID-19 incidence in Abkhazia (Source: Apsua TV, April 7th, 2020)<\/p>\n

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Abkhazia\u2019s response<\/a> to COVID-19 came late, and after a presidential election. Early action included closing the border with Georgia\u2014March 11th\u2014and banning large gatherings on March 25th. But, despite the Abkhaz government\u2019s recognition of (at least the possibility of) COVID-19 in Abkhazia, the de facto state still held presidential elections on March 22nd. After the election, Abkhazia\u2019s actions matched many, more developed, states, including financial measures, the closure of certain establishments, and the facilitated import of medical supplies. Abkhazia has received international aid from Russia\u2014its more favored neighbor\u2014and the WHO.<\/p>\n

Nagorno-Karabakh<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Infections: 34<\/p>\n

Deaths: 0<\/p>\n

Total Population: 146,573 (2013)<\/p>\n

State of Emergency Declared: April 13th<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

Image: Presidential elections in NKR with surgical masks and gloves (Source: Kommersant, March 31st, 2020)<\/p>\n

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Nagorno-Karabakh\u2019s response<\/a> to COVID-19 has largely been determinant by the policy decisions of the de facto state\u2019s neighbors\u2014Armenia and Azerbaijan. The de facto state held elections in the midst of the pandemic on March 31, for a broader investigation of Nagorno-Karabakh\u2019s response to COVID-19, and the presidential elections the country had during the pandemic, check out Azniv Tadevosyan\u2019s blog post: https:\/\/defactostates.ut.ee\/blog\/nagorno-karabakh-republic-between-covid-19-and-presidential-and-parliamentary<\/a>. There is some concern that restrictions engendered by COVID-19 will hinder peace-making processes in the region, especially as international bodies are unable to monitor the situation.<\/p>\n

Somaliland<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Infections: 225<\/p>\n

Deaths: 17<\/p>\n

Total Population: 3.508 million<\/p>\n

State of Emergency Declared: March 19th<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

Image: Checking the medical conditions of a patient (Source: Doctors Without Frontiers, May 13th, 2020)<\/p>\n

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Somaliland, despite a lack in international aid, strong local healthcare, and infinite supplies, has instigated early and effective measures<\/a> in combatting COVID-19. Before COVID-19 was recorded in Somaliland, the de facto state introduced stringent measures against the spread of COVID-19 in Somaliland. Measures included banning the export of medical equipment, the closure of educational institutions, and air passenger medical examination. Consequently, Somaliland has been successful in limiting the most disastrous effects of COVID-19. Somaliland\u2019s success parallels, in some ways, Taiwan\u2019s as both states implemented early and intense measures without international support.<\/p>\n

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Author: Annie Rose Healion<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an almost insurmountable issue for the majority of the world\u2019s governments\u2014official and de facto alike\u2013 to fight. In de facto states\u2013 typified for their often informal and fractured structure\u2013 COVID-19 has presented …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":1371,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dfsrublogposts"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1870,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168\/revisions\/1870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/defactostates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}