The European Union Office in Kosovo, together with UNDP Kosovo, UN Women Kosovo, and partners held a closing ceremony to mark the conclusion of the Action ‘Response to COVID-19 Emergency and Early Recovery Support’.

The Action, known also as the Humanitarian Assistance Project (HAP), is funded by the EU in Kosovo and implemented by UNDP, in partnership with UN Women, and close collaboration with the UN Volunteers Office, central and local institutions and partner NGOs.

The HAP project worth EUR 5 million, commenced in December 2020 as an emergency response to the pandemic supporting more than 10,000 families. It enhanced the provision of social services by Centers for Social Work (CSW), and has improved access to equitable, qualitative, integrated social protection for the most vulnerable groups.

Johannes Stenbaek Madsen, Head of Cooperation Section, EU in Kosovo, thanked the government and local municipalities and implementing partner UNDP, for their dedication to achieve more and better results together. “The challenge after such an emergency support is the sustainability of the services provided and ensuring that these people are truly getting out of poverty. The European Union and its partners will continue to support and complement the institutional efforts in order to achieve a more efficient social welfare system and to meet the needs of the most vulnerable," concluded Madsen.

In congratulating the extraordinary dedication of partners, UN Development Coordinator in Kosovo, Arnhild Spence on this occasion emphasized: “We are living at this critical moment in history where new, creative, and sustainable ways are to be explored to be able to cope with such complex issues affecting our livelihoods and economies, and the UN is standing together with people of Kosovo and other development actors to provide its strong support”. 

“The Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers has prioritized the support of social categories and plans to continuously implement programs and measures to support vulnerable groups in a state of social need and increase the well-being of families in Kosovo. In addition to providing direct support to over 8,000 families in the Social Assistance Scheme (SAS) during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Humanitarian Assistance Project (HAP), financed by the European Union (EU) Office in Kosovo, and implemented by UNDP, has managed to improve the access of vulnerable groups to social protection services, and improve the quality of social services provided by Centers for Social Work (CSW) and Non-Governmental Organizations,” said Mentor Morina, Director of Department of Social Policies and Families (DSPF) on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, Labor, and Transfers.

“The ‘Response to COVID-19 Emergency and Early Recovery Support’ project had a direct impact on the most vulnerable groups and individuals throughout Kosovo, and with the significant number of carried visits in targeted areas, patients with identified problems who need further medical treatment were confirmed, and lives have been saved. We are happy to deliver this donated mobile clinic to the community to help the health professionals examining potential patients in remote parts of the county,” said Drin Podrimqaku, Chief of Cabinet on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

The EU-funded HAP Project has been at the heart of UNDP’s Covid-19 recovery efforts and based on the United Nations’ ‘leave no one behind’ principle. Its activities, such as the disbursement of the vouchers for those living on social assistance, the deployment of UN Volunteers to CSWs, the interventions at the CSWs and residential shelters, the dispatchment of the mobile clinics, and the women’s economic empowerment, have all had one aim in common – to provide relief to those living in vulnerable situations.

The EU’s COVID-19 pandemic recovery assistance to Kosovo included both responses to the overall immediate medical crisis and in the post-pandemic socio-economic recovery. The EU’s overall financial assistance in this area amounted to EUR 168 million.

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

Enisa Rashlanin Kasemi, Information and Communication Officer, EU Office in Kosovo email: Enisa.RASHLANIN-KASEMI@eeas.europa.eu

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