SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS REPUBLIC OF SAN MARINO

The violent earthquake that hit the Republic of Haiti some days ago has been an unpredictable natural and human disaster, which has mobilised States and the international community.
San Marino, as it already happened in the past, even recently, for similar situations, wanted its voice to be heard. The donation of the amount corresponding to the attendance fees of the members of the Great and General Council represents a concrete action of solidarity to support Haitian people. The contribution collected, about € 6,000, is added to the fund of € 35,000, already decided by the Government at the beginning of the week, and the plea made yesterday to San Marino students by the National Committee for UNICEF to raise funds. Of course, these are humanitarian interventions linked to a particular severe situation faced by an entire people and through these initiatives our Country intended to demonstrate its sympathy and closeness, together with all the other countries. In its commitment to international solidarity, however, San Marino does not limit its participation to this action, which, though important, is a response to the emergency. At the end of 2009, the Government gave nearly € 23,000 to CERF (the United Nations body dealing with emergency aid and supporting the poorest populations) in favour of Haiti. The Fund for International Solidarity is now an important item of the State’s annual budget. The Fund includes all humanitarian initiatives and actions to protect fundamental rights of people, such as the inalienable right to life, the right to health, the right to education and the right to decent living conditions. San Marino is seriously committed at international level to contributing to improve the conditions of the weakest groups of society. In the law few years, financed projects have multiplied, proving that the current Government attaches great importance to international solidarity. San Marino’s role in the community of States is active and dynamical. The Country is sensitive to requests coming from all over the world. This is also demonstrated by the budget allocation to support humanitarian activities, which has increased from nearly € 60,000 in 2008 to € 485,000 in 2009, the amount fully granted. The Secretariat of State for Foreign Affairs underlines that the sum allocated in the 2009 budget was € 330,000. Thanks to the careful management of expenses concerning the Department of Foreign Affairs – in particular, expenses and costs of representation and for missions and travels – additional funds were added to the item relating to international solidarity, when the budget was balanced. Therefore, the Fund for International Solidarity now amounts to € 485,000. For 2010, the State has allocated € 450,000 to 2020 item “Fund for International Solidarity”. For long, the Republic of San Marino had allocated low amounts to international cooperation, if said amounts were compared to the Gross Domestic Product, and much more can be done. However, it should be stressed that, despite of an economic crisis affecting all States and also San Marino, the Government, upon proposal of Secretary of State Mularoni, has reconfirmed the trend chosen last year for the funding of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Such cooperation is considered necessary in today’s globalised community, where every single State, whether large or small, must also play an ethical role and where those having achieved high standards of living must not forget the people still living under difficult conditions. This is the aim of the commitments and efforts made by the Republic of San Marino, with renewed momentum in the broadest international context.

San Marino, 21 January 2010