Clark, a former prime minister of New Zealand, was present at the signing of two new project agreements between Zadar County and the UNDP, which were signed by the UNDP permanent representative to Croatia, Louisa Vinton, and County Prefect Stipe Zrilic, who thanked the UNDP for its financial support for the projects in the county so far.
Zrilic said projects totalling US$ 12 million had been carried out since 2007 - $7 million through the UNDP's Life project, $1 million through the Coast project and $4 million through an energy efficiency project.
Clark said her visit was not accidental.
We are proud of the cooperation with you and the numerous good examples in working with you. The agreements we signed are an example of the further implementation of our development programmes, notably in rural areas and on the islands, she said.
Asked by the press if Croatia should privatise public property and if New Zealand would do it, Clark said her country would never do it.
Although there has been a lot of privatisation in the last 30 years or so, the main state companies were never privatised. But they were successful on the market and returned their profits to citizens through the budget, she said.
Asked what should Croatia do to reverse the negative economic trends, Clark said Croatia should define a primary economic strategy on the level of the region and Europe, but added that not even on the European Union level was it clear yet how the economic situation would develop.
Clark is attending an annual meeting of UNDP permanent representatives in Zagreb which has brought together about 70 leading UN officials from 24 countries to discuss development issues.
Today she also visited Lika-Senj County and Otocac, which is marking its day, on which occasion she was given a town commendation for her contribution to the development of tourism in the Gacka river valley.