Preface
Responding to COVID-19 has presented an unprecedented challenge for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, due to both the magnitude of the crisis and the severity of its impact on health, the economy, educational continuity and the well-being of citizens more generally. As we have seen, the crisis has also shone a light on structural and social problems, including the erosion of public trust in government and expert opinion. In response to this situation, OECD member countries have deployed significant human, financial and technical resources in a relatively short period of time to manage and mitigate the consequences of the crisis.
To build resilience to large-scale crises, countries now need to learn from this experience and understand what worked (or did not), for whom and why. To this end, the OECD has developed an analytical framework to assess governments’ response to COVID-19, focusing on three components: pandemic preparedness, crisis management, and response and recovery policies. Luxembourg is the first country to invite the OECD to apply this analytical framework and to comprehensively assess its responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The response of Luxembourg’s public authorities to the crisis, led at the highest level of government, was particularly agile. Whether in the area of public health, educational continuity, the economy or the labour market, this strategic agility enabled Luxembourg to safeguard the life of the nation and minimise the direct impacts of the pandemic. Luxembourg was able to draw on its mature risk management system and benefited from the very active involvement of its parliament.
In a world where major crises are likely to happen more often, maintaining a high level of trust in government action will require civil society to play a greater role in crisis management. Addressing inequalities, whether in education or income, is also a key factor for a sustainable and inclusive recovery. The conclusions and recommendations of this report will guide governments in these efforts.
This report is an important step in building a robust database of policy responses to COVID-19 and will serve as a valuable resource for Luxembourg and its peers.
