Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security meets Ukrainian counterpart in New York
Ana Mendes Godinho, Portugal’s minister of labour, solidarity and social security has told Lusa that she will be meeting her Ukrainian counterpart in New York, to review Portugal’s programme of integration and reception of Ukrainian refugees.
From the United Nations building in New York she told Lusa she will take advantage of the meeting to reaffirm Portugal’s willingness to collaborate with Kyiv.
“The aim of the meeting is to take stock of the programme of integration and reception of Ukrainian citizens in Portugal and, of course, maintain our full availability to collaborate with the Ukrainian government in everything it needs from the point of view of integration and reception of Ukrainian citizens and also Ukrainian children,” she explained.
“Since the beginning (of the conflict), we have been in contact with the Ukrainian government in this regard and, therefore, it will be an opportunity to make an assessment of how this integration of workers in Portugal has been going”.
Ana Mendes Godinho is taking part in the 61st session of the Commission for Social Development of the department of economic and social affairs of the United Nations, at a meeting focused on the themes of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, post-pandemic challenges, dignified work, combating inequalities and dialogue between generations.
Says Lusa, “Portugal will take the opportunity to defend ‘the need to clearly focus on the enhancement of work as a key piece in the fight against inequalities’ and will also present the Childhood Guarantee programme that is being implemented in Portugal”.
Among the meetings Ana Mendes Godinho will be holding are those with former director-general of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Guy Ryder; and deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed.
Lusa
