Szijjarto: Hungary supporting least developed countries

Peter Szijjarto told a UN conference in Doha that the negative effects of the war in neighbouring Ukraine directly affected Hungary, the ministry said in a statement. Though regional, the war’s consequences are felt around the world, he added.

He said the war highlighted the fragility of the existing international system, with serious challenges appearing in global food and energy supplies which could lead to security risks.

“Food shortages and increasing energy prices could lead to serious security risks in countries that have a low level of development and lack stability,” he said. This could easily lead to the spread of extreme ideologies and a growing sense of danger, which are among the main triggers of mass illegal migration, he said.

Europe faces serious security risks from the east, and under such conditions, it would barely handle a challenge from the south in the form of increased illegal migration, he added.

“In the light of the war in Ukraine, it is more important than ever to support the least developed countries to prevent further mass waves of illegal migration,” he said.

Hungary is ready to maintain its contribution to these efforts and support all UN and European Union initiatives aiming to increase support for the affected countries with a view to enhancing their stability, Szijjarto said.

He cited among past government measures a 760 million US dollar credit line by Eximbank to the least developed countries in order to promote cooperation.

Additionally, 250 million dollars-worth of aid credit has been announced to improve the situation in water management, health care and food security, he said.

The coronavirus pandemic has posed a huge challenge to poorer countries, and Hungary has contributed 1.7 million doses of vaccine to help protect the globe, he said. Considering that vaccine stocks are still abundant, Hungary is ready to increase this contribution, he added.

He also highlighted the fact that 715 scholarships are offered in Hungary’s higher education for students from the world’s least developed countries. With 9,992 applications submitted this year, this number could be increased, he said.

Additionally, Hungary has supported Christian communities in the affected countries with around 8 million US dollars through 65 projects, he said. “As a country with one thousand years of Christian statehood, we feel responsibility for Christian communities in need around the world,” he added.