Participation of the PABSEC International Secretariat in the meeting of the BSEC Working Group on Cooperation in Emergency Assistance, 10 June 2021

Ms. Milena Ljubinkovic, Secretary of the PABSEC Economic, Commercial, Technological and Environmental Affairs Committee took part in the BSEC Working Group on Cooperation in Emergency Assistance meeting organized online on 10 June 2021. The Meeting was chaired by Ms. Roxana Branda, Specialist Officer, European Affairs, Assistance and International Relations Department, General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations of Romania.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of Republic of Albania, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bulgaria, Georgia, Hellenic Republic, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Turkey and Ukraine. The representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt attended the Meeting as the BSEC Observer.

At the meeting participants discussed the implementation of the Plan of Action of the Working Group in light of extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Working Group took note of the Evaluation Reports of the Republic of Turkey, the Country-Coordinator of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Massive Forest Fires and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Floods and Torrents for its Country-Coordinator period (1 July 2018 – 30 June 2020).

The participants of the meeting exchanged views on the lessons learnt and experience of the countries regarding the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discussed establishment of possible effective mechanisms for regional cooperation in emergency situations.