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Deputy Minister Jiří Kozák visited Geneva

From Monday 27 February to Thursday 2 March, the high-level segment of the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) was held in Geneva. The Czech delegation was led by the First Deputy Minister Jiří Kozák who also visited the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Additionally, he held bilateral talks with, among others, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

On the very first day of the Session, Monday 27 February, Prime Minister Petr Fiala gave a video speech emphasising the importance of the role of the UN Human Rights Council in the Czech Government's human rights foreign policy. Deputy Minister Jiří Kozák then delivered a speech at the Donors' Conference on the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where the Czech Republic, in cooperation with the non-profit sector, is implementing projects aimed at access to water and sanitation for the vulnerable local population. The Deputy Minister pledged to fund humanitarian assistance in the amount of at least USD 1 million over the next 2 years. On the same day, he also spoke at a public event on Ukraine. During his speeach he said that Ukraine was defending the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and that the Czech Republic would stand by Ukraine as long as necessary.

On Tuesday, 28 February, the Deputy Minister met with the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Nada Al-Nashif and then held talks with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mr Volker Türk. During both meetings, Deputy Minister Kozák expressed the strong Czech support for a robust UN system and the independence of the High Commissioner's mandate. The Deputy Minister also spoke about the importance that the Czech Republic attaches to the ongoing Presidency of the Human Rights Council: "We see the Presidency as the result of the Czech Republic's long-term interest in the promotion and protection of human rights and of our active participation in the Council."

During his visit, the Deputy Minister also visited international organisations based in Geneva that maintain strong and practical cooperation with the Czech Republic. The Czech delegation visited the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) where it held a meeting with the Director of International Relations, Ms Charlotte Warakaulle. In addition, Deputy Minister Kozák met with Mr Gilles Carbonnier, Vice President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). On Wednesday 1 March, he spoke with his Australian counterpart Tim Watts, with whom he discussed the Czech-Australian cooperation, for instance in the field of cyber security or in the Indo-Pacific.

Source: https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/cz/udalosti_a_media/tiskove_zpravy/namestek_kozak_na_52_zasedani_rady_osn.html