MFA: UN Organisations Interested in Further Cooperation with Slovakia

Bratislava, March 13 (TASR) - Organisations within the UN praised cooperation with Slovakia and expressed their interest in continuing it, Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (SMer-SD) said after receiving the heads of four international organisations operating in Slovakia within the UN on Wednesday. "We've found ourselves at the centre of the largest and fastest growing refugee wave in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Thanks to the practical experience of international organisations, we've been able to respond appropriately to this wave, mobilise humanitarian aid and get it to where it was needed. This crisis has clearly confirmed the importance of cooperation with these agencies, which have been operating successfully in our country," Blanar said. Blanar at the same time pointed to statistics on applications for temporary protection in Slovakia. According to him, the meeting confirmed the need to continue relevant activities. Their aim should be to integrate people from Ukraine into society, help them in education, finding employment and so on. The Foreign Affairs Ministry clarified that the meeting was attended by representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). These organisations employ more than 160 people in Slovakia. zel/mcs