Panama Joins Coalition for Return of Ukrainian Children, Signaling Global South Support

Panama has joined the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, marking a significant expansion of support from the Global South for this humanitarian issue. Mariana Betsa, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that Panama’s accession, alongside Switzerland and Cyprus, brings the Coalition’s membership to 49 countries and international organizations. This development underscores that the return of deported children is a universal responsibility rather than merely a regional concern. During a recent high-level meeting in Brussels, participants announced substantial practical assistance, including sanctions by the UK, EU, and Canada against Russian officials involved in deportations. Financial commitments include €50 million from the EU for child protection systems, €10 million from Lithuania, £1.2 million from the UK for identification efforts, and $3.4 million from Canada for UN monitoring. Additionally, Canada announced it will host a high-level summit on the matter in late September. Betsa emphasized the critical next step of effectively implementing the UN General Assembly resolution on the return of Ukrainian children, which received unprecedented support despite difficult adoption conditions.