As stated in the introduction to this conference, we are living in unprecedented times. As soon as the world has appeared to be overcoming the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic with its serious socio-economic impacts, a new, immediate and comprehensive challenge is overwhelming us all.
The unprovoked, unjustified and
illegal act of Russian aggression against Ukraine, with an active
involvement of Belarus, is causing needless deaths, severe pain, and
irreparable damages. This act, happening just behind Slovakian borders and in
the vicinity of the EU, is seriously undermining international security and
stability and questioning the regional and international policy architecture.
I would like to express full
solidarity with Ukrainian people. The heroic resistance of Ukraine, its
leadership and its armed forces reconfirmed through the highest price its firm
commitment to the European values and principles.
Russia´s aggression against Ukraine
has triggered a tremendous humanitarian crisis with a massive number of
casualties and injuries to civilians, prompting almost 6 million Ukrainian
citizens to seek refuge in nearby countries including Slovakia and Czechia, and
further 8 million has become internally displaced so far.
Czechia, as well as Slovakia and other European
countries, has been providing comprehensive assistance, not least health, shelter
and food related, to people in Ukraine and refugees from Ukraine
in the neighboring countries, in particular Moldova. Moreover,
Czechia hosts more than 340 thousand Ukrainian refugees who are fully included
into the Czech health care, social and education systems.
The consequences of the Russian war against
Ukraine are becoming tangible for all European citizens. We are facing new challenges, not only
related to stabilization of economic situation, but also in delivering
urgent humanitarian assistance and providing safe asylum to people forced
to flee their homes and families. Europeans
showed unprecedented wave of solidarity with Ukrainians, expressed not
least through enormous public money collection and people-to-people assistance
to those in need.
We shall also not forget about the
growing global impacts in particular on food, energy and cyber security. Just
last Friday, we discussed these impacts and the EU response at the Bi-annual
meeting of ministers for development of the EU member states.
In view of all these tremendous
challenges it is important to keep our unity – both the non-governmental and
international humanitarian actors, the EU politicians, and our societies.
We should prepare for long-lasting
aftermaths of the Russian war against Ukraine and it is necessary to start
discussions on the reconstruction and stabilization of Ukraine and the region as
soon as possible.
That is why I am glad to be here,
because sharing ideas and intentions is essential for effective and well-targeted
delivery of our support. As the reconstruction process will require enormous
efforts and financial resources over many years, a good coordination of identifying
the needs and partners and channeling the funds and expertise will be crucial.
Therefore, I would like to invite all the
partners and participants of this conference to offer know-how, human
capacities and financial resources in order to contribute to the recovery and
reconstruction of Ukraine, to resilience building of the region and to
mitigation of the global impacts.
Ukraine,
Moldova and Georgia have been long term priority partner countries for the
Czech development and transition cooperation. Since 2014, we have also provided
humanitarian assistance in and around Donbas, in cooperation with Czech and
local NGOs. Currently, the humanitarian needs
are multiplied and extended to the whole territory of Ukraine, and to the
neighboring countries, in particular Moldova.
The
challenges are multiple as we all know. Some parts of Ukraine report the highest
level of food insecurity. Hindered access to basic services like health or
social care is also alarming, particularly in hard-hit areas which remain difficult
to reach by the humanitarian community due to the ongoing conflict. Moreover, the
growing scarcity of fuel is affecting civilians’ ability to move to safer
areas, and impacting also the delivery of humanitarian aid.
In the last three months, the Czech government has
delivered to Ukraine and Moldova medicines and medical equipment, food and
shelter assistance worth more than 6 million euro.
Another 7 million euro was granted through
Czech and local non-governmental organizations as well as through humanitarian
appeals of ICRC, UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP to help internally displaced people
in Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in Moldova.
The upcoming Czech
presidency will focus on Ukraine and other associated countries
of the Eastern Partnership like Moldova and Georgia. Czechia is
going to devote a lot of attention to the European perspective of
these countries as well as to continued humanitarian assistance, and to the reconstruction
processes towards a successful stabilization and recovery.
During the Czech Presidency, we will promote
the Facility for Ukraine initiated by the European Council in March and shaped
by the European Commission last week. It is in our view important to keep the
facility as inclusive as possible, including for other than EU related actors.
We also intend to contribute to the development
of a comprehensive stabilization, reconstruction and resilience program for and
with Ukraine, with a regional dimension targeting resilience of Moldova and
Georgia as well.
If the situation allows it, we would like to
facilitate organization of an international event in support of the
reconstruction programme.
The goal is to raise not only financial
contributions but foster long term investment initiatives and identify
expertise both from public, private and civil society sectors, and from local,
EU-based and international actors.
We will also pay attention to the global
impacts of the war in Ukraine, in cooperation with the currently emerging
multiple initiatives such as the Global Alliance for Food Security, the
EU-based initiative FARM.
Dear Madam Secretary, Dear partners,
I would like to thank you for organizing this
event, which I believe will trigger productive discussion on our joint way
forward in the multiple challenges shortly outlined in my contribution.