Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Tuesday participated in the 5th Brussels conference on “Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region”. The conference was held online, organized by the EU and the UN, and saw the participation of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell and UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, along with ministers from various member states as well as representatives of international organizations and NGOs.
The organizers said that the conference was an opportunity to underscore the EU and UN’s support for the efforts of the UN special envoy to reach a political solution for the Syrian conflict and mobilize financial aid for accommodating refugees in Syria and the neighbouring countries, as well as to continue the dialogue with the civil society.
Addressing the event, Grlić Radman stressed that Croatia “fully supported all efforts aimed at finding a lasting political solution in line with Resolution 2254 and the Geneva Communiqué, as well as the efforts of Mr. Pedersen.”
As a contribution to that, the minister announced that the Croatian government would allocate USD 600 000 in the 2021-2023 period for projects and other development and humanitarian activities directed at strengthening healthcare and education infrastructure in Syria and the neighbouring countries. “We firmly believe that investing in women and girls, as well as in children and youth, benefits society as a whole. Even small-scale projects have a positive long-term effect on development,” Grlić Radman concluded.