This topic was discussed at a session of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Chernobyl that was held in New York via videoconferencing with participation of Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN Valentin Rybakov. The session was timed to International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day.
The task force coordinates activities of agencies of the UN, other international organizations, and involved countries in international cooperation on Chernobyl. It is chaired by Administrator of the UN Development Program (UNDP) Achim Steiner. The task force brings together more than a dozen international organizations, including the UNDP, IAEA, WHO, UNEP, FAO, and the World Bank. Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine are permanent members of the task force as the countries worst affected by the Chernobyl accident.
The event organized by the UNDP at the initiative of Belarus was aimed at launching the implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution “Persistent legacy of the Chernobyl disaster” that was drawn up by the Belarusian delegation and adopted in December 2019. “The participants took stock of the results of international cooperation on Chernobyl within the UN over the past year and discussed areas of multilateral cooperation in this field in line with the new resolution on Chernobyl,” the press service said.
Valentin Rybakov pointed out the need to ensure sustainable development in the affected Belarusian areas and spoke about measures undertaken by Belarus to ensure their social and economic development. He brought forward Belarus' proposals on advancing international cooperation on Chernobyl and preparing for the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident in 2021.
Written by belta.by
