The participants in the Doha talks compiled lists of 29 children living in Russia – the work on their reunification with families in Ukraine is underway – as well as 11children living in Ukraine and eight children living in the EU, whom their families are waiting in Russia.
Maria Lvova-Belova noted the importance of mediation by the State of Qatar that facilitates the negotiations, records de facto lists of children and the sides’ agreements and helps organise and pay for the transfer, accommodation and meals for parents, children and accompanying persons.
At the meeting with Lolwah Al-Khater, Ms Lvova-Belova discussed the development of humanitarian cooperation, including reunification of children with their parents and other close relatives. They were separated during the special military operation. Ms Lolwah Al-Khater expressed gratitude to Ms Lvova-Belova and her team for the key role in these efforts and their unflagging commitment to family reunification. She said this visit stepped up joint efforts and rendered priceless support for a common goal – health improvement of children and adults and reunification of conflict-affected families.
In addition, Maria Lvova-Belova and Lolwah Al-Khater talked to the Russian families that had been reunited earlier. They arrived in Doha under the Qatar-organised health-improvement and rehabilitation programme. On April 18–27, 10 Russian children (with their brothers and sisters, parents and other relatives) underwent rehabilitation during their vacations there. They were reunited with their families at different times with the assistance of the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights or the Presidential Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia Tatyana Moskalkova. Boys from the Donetsk People’s Republic who were wounded by shelling from Ukraine also took part in the programme.
In addition to the health improvement and rehabilitation programme and medical and psychological support, parents and children had an opportunity to learn about historical traditions and to go sightseeing in this Middle Eastern country.