In continuation of a working visit to Ukraine, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, met with representatives from international organisations and the implementers of projects supported by Latvia.
Since the beginning of the war, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has considerably increased the amount of humanitarian aid and development assistance support to Ukraine. The overall support by Latvia’s civil society, private sector and state covering the costs of humanitarian aid, development cooperation and urgent needs amounts to almost 14.8 million euros.
In a meeting with representatives from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica referred positively to current cooperation. Since the onset of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, has made voluntary contributions of 120,000 euros to each of the three organisations.
The conversation addressed the humanitarian situation in Ukraine ahead of winter. Representatives from the organisations recognised that in Ukraine there is a shortage of housing suitable for winter conditions and at this point neither the organisations nor the resto f the international community had been able to mobilise the required support. Problems were discussed related to humanitarian aid deliveries to the areas occupied by the Russian army.
“It is obvious that Russia is obstructing the deliveries of humanitarian aid to people in the occupied territories. After the Russian army has been driven out from the areas it had under its control, evidence is revealed of inhuman conditions that civilians were held in, and of their torture. Those are blatant violations of international norms,” Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica noted.
During the visit, a round table was organised with representatives of the implementers of projects supported by Latvia. Representatives from the Ukrainian Employers’ Federation, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Centre for Civil Liberties, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, and the Supreme Court of Ukraine exchanged views with the Parliamentary Secretary on developments in Ukraine and the importance of support provided by Latvia, as well highlighting needs and problems. The partners welcomed Latvia’s assistance and expressed their willingness to continue and expand cooperation with Latvia.
The projects supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contribute to the protection of women’s rights, strengthening media freedom, education, health care, business activity, and good governance. “We are prepared to broaden the areas of cooperation in accordance with Ukraine’s needs. Latvia supports and will further support Ukraine in every possible way,” Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica underlined.
The project executors underlined the priorities for the recovery of Ukraine’s labour market: it is important to integrate companies into the European single market through retraining of employees under war-time conditions and organizing training for employers, especially in the sectors such as machine building and information technologies. Knowledge transfer to businesses in the matters of application of European legislation and certification is highly topical in relation to increasing their export capacity.
Officials of the Supreme Court and the Border Guard noted in particular the need to restore technical equipment. The participants of the conversation underlined the importance and increasing need for psychological support and rehabilitation.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica also met with the Director of the Boryspil City Centre of Primary Health Care, Yevhenii Cherenok, and a Latvian micro-surgeon practicing in Ukraine, Olafs Libermanis. The centre is one of Ukraine’s medical facilities which cooperates with the National Rehabilitation Centre “Vaivari” in a Latvian development cooperation grant project aimed at capacity building among Ukrainian health care institutions in the implementation of rehabilitation programmes for patients with amputations. A Ukrainian partners’ experience exchange visit to Latvia is planned in autumn, with participation of a delegation from the Boryspil City Centre of Primary Health Care.
“It is vital for people who risk their lives fighting Russia to be able to receive the best assistance as soon as possible,” the Parliamentary Secretary underlined. It was noted during the conversation that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been coordinating a rehabilitation programme for Ukrainian soldiers since 2014.
Background information
From 5 to 7 September 2022, while on a working visit to Ukraine, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with representatives from the Ukrainian President’s Office, the Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chernihiv Oblast and local governments, as well as with people of the city of Chernihiv and the villages of Novoselivka and Yahidne,