Montenegro

UNDP Administrator Helen Clark’s official visit to Montenegro

Podgorica, 7-8 September 2010

UNDP Administrator Helen Clark’s official visit to Montenegro

Upon the invitation of the Government of Montenegro, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme Helen Clark paid an official two day visit to Montenegro.

“Clearly EU accession is a huge priority for Montenegro, and I genuinely hope that when the EU pronounces on the subject in the next few weeks, it will be a positive announcement. I can see that UNDP and Montenegro can work together towards the accession objective, in the same way we have supported a lot of other countries who have been new member states over the past fifteen years or so. So there is a lot to do to gain entry into the EU, but I think the plans that we have got, together with the government of Montenegro are going to be successful in time,” she said in a statement before departure.

While in Montenegro, Helen Clark met with President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović and Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Roćen.

Together with the Prime Minister she laid the cornerstone of the new UN Eco Building.

Helen Clark also met with the UNDP Team in Montenegro and the Heads of resident UN Agencies, and she visited the North of the country, to discuss UNDP’s support in sustainable tourism development. She stopped in Mojkovac to view progress on the remediation of the tailing impound as part of the Western Balkans Environmental Hot Spots Programme, and how it has helped community development.

Video story of Helen Clark’s visit to Montenegro

Interview with Helen Clark

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The UNDP highest official’s talks with the highest representatives of the Montenegrin Government, among other things, focused on regional cooperation; progress towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; preparation for EU candidate country status; UN and UNDP’s role in regional development and also in the context of global economic crisis response; UN Delivering as One. Helen Clark conveyed a message that the UNDP and UN Country Team in Montenegro aimed to further enhance cooperation with Montenegro to address major developmental priorities of the country and its integration into EU.

President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović expressed satisfaction with cooperation with UNDP and the engagement of their office in Montenegro. He emphasized the importance of building the first eco-building of the United Nations as the best way to express comprehensive relations between the country and the UN.

The Administrator emphasized the importance of UNDP’s strategic goals  in Montenegro, especially for the provision of conditions for sustainable development of social inclusion. She has shared UNDP’s commitment to continue to assist in the process of destroying surplus weapons, thus creating the conditions for Montenegro to meet international standards and achieve full security of citizens. Administrator Clark thanked Montenegro for its treatment of refugees and displaced persons and expressed willingness of UNDP to further assist in their resolution.

Speaking with Montenegro’s Foreign Minister Milan Roćen, Helen Clark praised the country for being on track to achieve all of the MDGs by 2015. “Montenegro is bringing a good story to the MDG Summit in New York in the next couple of weeks: Montenegro will achieve all of the goals. You have even set MDG PLUS goals…and you will meet them! We are impressed with the progress you are making on so many fronts, including becoming the UN’s newest Member State,” she said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Roćen estimated that the visit of the UNDP Administrator ‐ so far the UN's highest official, being as well the first visit to some of the countries of the region ‐ provided an additional incentive to further improving of the relationship, the affirmation of Montenegro as well as to promoting of the values underlying the United Nations. “This visit is an exceptional honor, great recognition for politics inspired by fundamental UN values and a strong impulse for further enhancement of cooperation,” said Minister Roćen. “The timing of Administrator Clark’s visit is extremely important to us, because it came right before the forthcoming summit on the Millennium Development Goals in New York where we will present the results from the Mid-Term Report that we prepared together with the UN System in Montenegro and before the European Commission’s Opinion which will, as we believe, recommend our country for the candidate status,” he concluded.

Minister Roćen evaluated that it is in part thanks to the cooperation with UNDP that Montenegro made such a strong progress in implementation of internal reforms and the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integrations. “This cooperation totally corresponds with strategic goals of our internal development and our key foreign policy priorities,” he added. Minister Roćen asserted that Montenegro is a reliable partner to the UN in making a better, more just and wealthier world.

The Administrator evaluated that Montenegro had made excellent progress since gaining independence back in 2006, adding that it is understandable to be eager for the candidate status. “Your country’s progress is truly remarkable. Montenegro is firmly on the path towards prosperous economic and social development. I understand that there are expectations for Montenegro to receive the EU candidate status, as concrete indicator of strong commitment to reforms and institutional strengthening,” Administrator Clark said at the reception organized after the meeting with Minister Roćen, which was attended by the representatives of political and diplomatic corps in Montenegro.

The UNDP Administrator pointed out she was impressed with the progress in achieving Millennium Development Goals set at the Summit in 2000. “Montenegro is an excellent example of MDG achievement. As highlighted in the recently released Medium Term Report on the MDGs in Montenegro, the targets on maternal mortality, child mortality, and HIV and other diseases, have already been met, and other goals, including the one on poverty reduction, are likely to be met by 2015. It is also noteworthy that the targets for Montenegro have been adjusted to the national development context, making them more ambitious than those at the global level,” she said, appealing to Montenegro to give special attention to the enhancement of gender equality and strengthening of women.

She emphasized it was very important to mention that Montenegro set its goals more ambitiously than those on the global level, but warned that the impact of the world economic crisis should be taken into account because it could set new challenges.

Crisis is no obstacle for the eco‐building

Helen Clark and Montenegro’s Prime Minister laid the first stone for the new One UN House – a green building which will be located next to the iconic Millennium Bridge. Đukanović and Clark agreed that this act is representative of excellent cooperation between Montenegro and the UN, as well as readiness of the world organization to help the country in its future development and fulfillment of European goals. The eco‐building, as they stated, confirms mutual support to further development and international affirmation of ecologic Montenegro.

 “We hope that this ceremony today will be a very solid indication of how closely we can work with Montenegro to support its development aspirations, including EU accession,” said Administrator Clark. “This UN House will also demonstrate the very best in eco-building standards which is a very positive model and example. UN operations in Montenegro are dedicated to what Montenegro strives for itself, and this is sustainable economic and social development. We talked about these plans today. This symbolic act is a firm indicator that we will continue to do so. We are here to help Montenegro with its future development and certainly, with aspirations you have towards EU membership.”

“Montenegro has established an extraordinary level of cooperation with the whole UN system,” said Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milo Đukanović. “These ties led to the decision to build this building, the first of its kind worldwide. It will be a unique home to all UN agencies operating in Montenegro. Today’s act is confirmation of good cooperation as well as announcement of further support to our country.”

They agreed that constructing such a building symbolizes cooperation between UNDP and Montenegro with the goal of sustainable country’s development and affirmation of its ecological principles.

Prime Minister Đukanović said he was honored to be able to symbolically mark the launching of works on the first UN eco‐building in the world together with Helen Clark. He added this way was anticipated for much longer than planned, although the project was initiated back in 2002, stressing that “in the meanwhile, all prerequisites for the materialization of this project have been created” in cooperation with UN agencies, Austrian Development Agency, the Capital city Podgorica and the University of Montenegro. “Mrs. Clark and I agreed that this is an important step in further affirmation of UN activities known as action ‘Delivering as One’. I am sure that this building will contribute to a more quality cooperation between Montenegro and UNDP, and the whole UN system; no doubt, realization of this project will contribute to further international affirmation of Montenegro as an ecologic country,” said Prime Minister Đukanović.

“The crisis hit Montenegro as it did the world economy, but as we can see, this did not destroy our plans to launch this project and we do not predict a limit to the good pace of realization which should continue until the project is completed. All preconditions necessary for realization, from legal prerequisites and urban plans to architectural, ecologic solutions have been met. Money was provided for the construction according to the highest global standards,” said Prime Minister Đukanović. He stressed that this is “an important step towards further affirmation of UN activities in Montenegro and a contribution to an even more successful cooperation between Montenegro and the UN system”.
 
“You were truly there for us, supporting UN to coordinate our actions here in your country, and synchronize these actions with national development and strategies, and so building of this unique home for all UN agencies is a symbolic act which confirms this. At the same time, the construction of this eco-building gives us the opportunity to follow the highest standards for building eco-friendly facilities, and in this sense, this represents a positive standard model,” said Administrator Clark adding that because the idea was 8 years old, everyone was eager to get the construction work started and complimented the selection of the location close to the river Morača and the Millennium Bridge, and she thanked the Government of Montenegro for the support to the coordination of the UN system in Montenegro. Clark underlined that the UN system would continue to support sustainable social and economic development, including “Montenegro’s aspirations towards membership in the European Union”.

She also thanked both the Government of Montenegro and the Austrian Development Agency for the significant financial support in this project.

The UN official added she was happy with the location of the building.

“It is our great pleasure to have the location that has been selected. I dare call it final ‐ alongside a river and a beautiful bridge, in your capital city. Besides the Government and the UNDP, Austrian Development Agency, the Capital city and the University of Montenegro are also engaged in the project,” said Administrator Clark.

Deadline for the construction of the UN eco‐building is end 2011. The Eco-Building will serve as a UN House for the UN agencies resided in Montenegro - UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO and IOM, which is expected to increase effectiveness and efficiency of their joint functioning, including the implementation of the UN Integrated Programme approved recently by the Government, thus contributing to a more coherent work of UN on the ground.

Transforming environmental disaster into development opportunities

UNDP chief Helen Clark traveled with Montenegro's Minister of Tourism, Predrag Nenezić, to the town of Mojkovac to view the town’s transformation after a massive cleanup of a toxic mine and the potential for eco and adventure tourism in the surrounding mountains. 

With support from UNDP, the city of Mojkovac embarked on a major environmental clean up to pave the way for green economic growth after years of heavy industrial pollution blighted the town. This project has transformed a poisonous lake of chemical waste caused by a zinc mine into a recreational area that includes kayaking, rafting, and biking. 

“To go to Mojkovac and see the effects of the clean-up of the mine - that is just going to change the life of that town so much,” said Helen Clark. “To have a clean recreational space and the ability to be a base for tourism, including eco-tourism and adventure tourism, rather than be associated with a rather toxic legacy.”

This project is part of the Western Balkans Environmental "Hot Spots" programme, a three year endeavor funded by the Netherlands involving six countries or territories that suffered from heavy industrial pollution. UNDP works with the municipality on nature based tourism, the development of organic agriculture, and alternative uses for the closed mine such as a museum or an underground mountain biking trail. Already a kayak club has been established  and work on adventure tourism, based on experiences from Slovenia.

“I loved the trip up into the mountains today with the Minister of Tourism,” said Helen Clark. “I think Montenegro has a really special environment out there and the opportunities for eco tourism are endless. You can do anything out there in those hills and valleys!” 

The dramatic positive effects on the population, particularly children, are contained in the documentary, “Western Balkans - 8 steps forward” which was recently screened at the Sarajevo International Film Festival.

Read also the story about Helen Clark’s visit on the UNDP RBEC website.