Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova

Croatia ready to assist Ukraine in post-war recovery and reconstruction

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Monday and Tuesday in Lugano participated in the International Ukraine Recovery Conference.
 
The conference was organised by Swiss President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with the aim of starting the process and agreeing on a plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine, as well as its sustainable recovery and development.
 
Addressing the event, Grlić Radman said that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine showed a complete disregard for the principles and beliefs of the international community, based on which decades of peace, cooperation and progress had been achieved. “There is no place for a neutral stance on this brutal violation of international law, especially international humanitarian law. Together with our transatlantic and European partners, we are focused on a concerted multilateral response,” he said.
 
The minister underscored that Croatia had so far sent emergency humanitarian and technical aid worth EUR 7.3 million and received more than 20,000 refugees, who have been provided with adequate education, access to the labour market and social welfare services.
 
“As a country that experienced war on its own territory in the recent past, Croatia has a unique experience in post-war transition and peaceful reintegration. We are ready to provide support for the post-war recovery and reconstruction of the independent, sovereign and democratic Ukraine, which is a priority country for Croatia in terms of development cooperation,” said Grlić Radman, adding that Croatia and Ukraine were already closely cooperating in areas such as demining, care for war veterans, protection of displaced persons, reconciliation and trust building.
 
The minister highlighted that Croatia was ready for a stronger engagement in demining, given that Croatia’s experience in humanitarian demining was highly applicable in Ukraine. He further stressed that the protection of cultural heritage is also an area in which Croatia can provide support.
 
On the margins of the conference, Grlić Radman held talks with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod. During his stay in Switzerland, the minister also met with representatives of the Croatian community.
 

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