Estonia promises to continue contributing to solving migration crisis

Photo: AP/Scanpix

Estonia is still ready to contribute to solving the migration crisis by focusing on the condition of children in a crisis, Estonia's representative affirmed on Monday at the high-level meeting for refugees and migrants at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly.

«A few years ago the refugee boats coming from Africa and the Middle East were an issue concerning only a few European countries. Today it is an important cause for concern for the whole world,» deputy secretary general for external economic policy and development cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vaino Reinart, was quoted by spokespeople as saying.

Reinart added that Estonia is ready to fulfil its obligations and take part in finding long-term solutions for the migration crisis. «It is important that we are united in Europe and the world when solving the crisis,» he stressed.

When talking about the condition of children in the crisis, Reinart stressed that children have to be paid special attention to. «At present around 50 million children are fleeing from violence and uncertainty. The number is 77 percent higher today than it was five years ago,» Reinart said. «Children are one of the most vulnerable groups in the migration crisis and our obligation is to protect them from dangers originating from the crisis, like human trafficking and xenophobia. We have to remember that children affected by the migration crisis need attention also after reaching destination countries -- they have to be guaranteed access to education, healthcare and social protection,» he stressed.