Locations
The Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, through LuxDev, donates 27,333 test kits and the Government of Austria, through the Austrian Development Cooperation, donates 13,667 test kits in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Total 41,000 test kits reached the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo (NIPHK) and the Ministry of Health today.
Mr. Armend Zemaj, Minister of Health, Mr. Valbon Krasniqi, General Director of University Clinical Centre in Kosovo, Ms. Valbona Bogujevci, UNDP Assistant Resident Representative, H.E. Christoph Weidinger, the Austrian Ambassador to Kosovo, Mr. Gunther Zimmer, Head of the Austrian Development Cooperation’s office in Kosovo, Ministry of Health and NIPHK officials were present at the handover which took place at the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo. The Chargée d’Affaires at the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Ms. Natacha Gomes, was not able to join the event since she is out of Kosovo.
Minister of Health, Armend Zemaj who was present at the ceremony emphasized the importance of partnership and international assistance during these difficult times: “Standing here today to accept this latest donation on behalf of the Kosovo institutions and people of Kosovo, makes me very proud to be able to say thank you to our international friends who are continuously supporting us to overcome this latest global challenge. We are working around the clock to reduce and prevent further spread of the pandemic and slowly but surely, we have the first results. The huge number of tests we are receiving today will mean a lot towards protection of public health. I want to thank you the Governments of Luxembourg and Austria for funding and UNDP for procuring this contingent of testing kits”
Ms. Natacha Gomes, Chargée d’affaires a.i. at the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in Pristina sent a heartfelt message: “The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has proven yet again that we stand together with the people of Kosovo. In these times of need we have done our utmost to assist the institutions to cope with the pandemic. Our donation has helped procure mobile ventilators and testing kits on two previous occasions. In this instance, we are glad to be providing the test kits alongside our partner Austria in the spirit of #TeamEurope. The Luxembourg Government is also providing humanitarian support to 2000 families that are most in need, as part of the current partnership with UNDP. We hope to overcome this crisis soon and turn to building sustainable solutions for Kosovo. In order to do so we have to count on the collaboration of each and every one to get this pandemic under control by respecting the measures put in place.”
H.E. Christoph Weidinger, the Austrian Ambassador to Kosovo/Mr. Gunther Zimmer, Head of the Austrian Development Cooperation’s office in Kosovo said: “On 28 May, Mr. Alexander Schallenberg, the Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs signed an agreement with UNDP for donation of funds towards procurement of test kits. It is my pleasure to be here today and see that, less than two months later, the tests have arrived in Pristina. I am gratified to know they will increase the testing capability and help reduce the spread of the virus. I want to thank the Government of Luxembourg for this joint donation and UNDP for the assistance in the tests’ procurement”.
“For the last 21 years, we at UNDP have been working together with the Kosovo institutions in building a better life for all the people of Kosovo. The pandemic has shifted our focus and we have turned all our knowledge and longtime partnership with our generous donors towards fighting the COVID-19. Today’s donation was made possible through generous contribution by the Governments of Luxembourg through LuxDev and Austria through Austrian Development Cooperation and I am happy to be part of this excellent example of aid effectiveness with our partners. We will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health and other institutions in Kosovo to support them to the best of our ability in managing the crisis effectively. Physical distancing, wearing the mask and personal hygiene are the best way to stay healthy and protect our loved ones,” said Ms. Bogujevci during the event.
Test kits were purchased with EUR 500,000, from the agreement with the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg through the Lux Development S.A. for a total value of EUR 1 million, half of which is providing humanitarian aid to 2000 families, and the agreement with the Austrian Government through Austrian Development Cooperation in total value of EUR 250,000.
Working at the heart of UN Kosovo Team, UNDP in Kosovo has been supporting the people and institutions of Kosovo to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic since the outbreak, focusing particularly on the most vulnerable. We have rapidly shifted focus, responding swiftly and efficiently and reorienting our programme to assist Kosovo’s efforts to stop the spread of the virus, helping to protect people from the pandemic and its impacts, respond during the outbreak, and recover from the economic and social impacts in the months to come.
To learn more about our work to fight the pandemic, please visit our page: https://www.ks.undp.org/content/kosovo/en/home/covid-19-pandemic-response.html
For more information, please contact:
Burbuqe Dobranja, UNDP Communications Associate
Phone: (038) 249 066 ext. 410; mobile: 049 720 800 e-mail: burbuqe.dobranja@undp.org
Danijela Mitić, Communication Associate UNDP
Phone: (038) 249 066 ext. 412; mobile: 049 720 824 e-mail: danijela.mitic@undp.org
