Press release: Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic meets UNDP Chief Coordinator to Serbia-Montenegro Nicole Harrington

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic met today in Podgorica UN Resident Representative and UNDP Chief Coordinator in Serbia-Montenegro, Ms Nicole Harrington, during her official visit to Montenegro.

Prime Minister Djukanovic extended greetings to the UN representatives on the occasion of the recently celebrated the United Nations Day, and emphasized that the UN played a decisive role in considering and resolving the most important issues in the field of international relations and cooperation. He pointed out that Montenegro, being a multi-ethnic and multi-religious community, was committed to peace and progress and dedicated to the observance of the principles and aims enshrined in the UN Charter and the development of democratic relations throughout the world.

The cooperation between the Government and competent authorities of Montenegro and representatives of specialized agencies and bodies of the United Nations based in Montenegro and the State Union are found to be very successful and very fruitful. That was said to be particularly notable in the process of producing documents on long-term cooperation programs and engagement of the UN system institutions on major projects concerning state administration reform, the rule of law, law enforcement and balanced economic development.

Support was given to the new strategic approach of the United Nations and the shifting of focus from short-term humanitarian issues to long-term development goals. In that respect the Government of Montenegro was commended for the efforts invested in realizing the development goals set forth in the Millennium Declaration, which was recognized at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Throughout that process, the UN are supposed to provide the necessary assistance and coordinate other international organizations in the activities of Montenegros accession to European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Ms Nicole Harrington was accompanies by Ann-Lis Svensson, Head of the UNICEF Office in Serbia and Montenegro and Garrett Tankosic-Kelly, Head of the UNDP Office in Podgorica.