State Secretary Lucić participates in informal meeting of FAC (Development)

State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Zdenko Lucić on Monday participated in an informal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Development), held via video link

State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Zdenko Lucić on Monday participated in an informal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Development), held via video link.

Ministers and state secretaries for development discussed the EU’s cooperation with middle-income countries as well as human development. Also taking part in the meeting were EU High Representative Josep Borrell and International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen.

Lucić said this was the right time to re-think our future partnership with middle-income countries, whose role on the global stage will grow even stronger. He underlined the role of the youth, adding that development programmes should focus on their political, economic and social empowerment.

Discussing human development, the state secretary welcomed the EU’s engagement in boosting Team Europe’s commitment to human development, as eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development goals are key for preserving our values and realizing our interests.

In addition, Lucić underscored Croatia’s commitment to the EU Vaccine Sharing Mechanism, notably COVAX, for whose activities Croatia has announced a donation of EUR 500,000. The importance Croatia attaches to vaccine sharing with countries in the immediate neighbourhood has been reaffirmed by recent bilateral donations – to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo, with donations to Albania and North Macedonia soon to follow.

 

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