Selaković: Serbia is Grateful for UNICEF’s Support and Engagement

23. Apr 2021.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, met today with the UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, and the Special Coordinator for the Refuge and Migrant Response in Europe, Ms. Afshan Khan.

Minister Selaković stated that UNICEF has maintained high activity level and good communication with the Serbian institutions, especially from the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic.

According to his words, Serbia highly appreciates the role and overall engagement of UNICEF within the COVAX mechanism and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations, while special debt of gratitude is owed to the UNICEF Serbia due to its kind support and help provided to the youngest after the pandemic outburst.

In that respect, the Minister expressed his satisfaction with the fact that at the beginning of this month, thanks to UNICEF, the first batch of vaccines, procured through the COVAX Facility, against COVID-19, arrived to Serbia.

Serbia positively assesses the work of UNICEF mission to Serbia and will continue to cooperate and support UNICEF Serbia in the fulfilment of its mandate, expecting that UNICEF will pursue its engagement and activities in all fields concerning children’s rights and improving the position of children, the Foreign Minister said.

Minister Selaković positively assessed the UNICEF Plan of Action for the Republic of Serbia for the period 2021–2025.

According to his words, for Serbia, the issue of taking a neutral position by the organisations from the UN system, including UNICEF, when representation of Kosovo and Metohija in the documents is in question, is extremely sensitive and of utmost importance, as well as the preservation of status-neutral principles in case of possible participation of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina at the meetings organised or co-organised by the UN.

The Foreign Minister added that he expects that UNICEF will continue to plan and implement its activities in Kosovo and Metohija with a careful focus, when the improvement of the rights of the child in the Southern Serbian Province is in question, observing the status-neutral framework of cooperation and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.