Poverty rates in Kyrgyzstan are declining very slowly. Edil Baisalov reported that poverty rates have risen sharply to 30 percent during the pandemic. «A person is considered to be living below the poverty line if their annual income is less than 65,000 soms. Despite all efforts, poverty is declining very slowly—by only about 2 percent per year,» the Deputy Cabinet Chairman said. According to him, poverty rates among children under the age of 16 reach 33 percent, with around 950,000 children in Kyrgyzstan living below the poverty line.