FM Paet: The Complicated Situation in Developing Countries Affects Estonia
09.06.2008
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet gave a speech about development co-operation during the World Day festivities in Tammsaare Park on Saturday, 7 June.
According to Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, it is all of our moral duty to support those that are less secure economically and socially. “The complicated situations in developing countries affect Estonia and Europe as a whole—for example, strong immigration pressure from poor countries into Europe, or violence stemming from poverty and hopelessness, or terrorism,” Paet noted.
The foreign minister confirmed that “Estonia helps countries that have been struck by natural or manmade disasters as much as it can”. Paet named some examples of places where Estonia has sent its humanitarian aid—to refugees of Afghanistan and Sudan, to clean up the ruins left by the China earthquake, to alleviate the food shortage in Burma, and to improve the situation for citizens of post-war Iraq.
While talking about the primary problems that developing countries are currently facing, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet named famine as a great problem in addition to frequent humanitarian disasters.
Estonia’s bilateral development aid is primarily aimed at four countries—Afghanistan, Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova. The priority nations were chosen on the basis of the needs of the countries and the added value Estonian aid could give to their development.
In 2008, Estonia’s development aid will total more than 200 million kroons, of which 60 million kroons is from the budget of the Foreign Ministry.
SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE
+372 6377654
+372 53020798
pressitalitus@mfa.ee
 
|
