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"On 25-28 August the authorized representative of the Belarus National Academy of Sciences, deputy head of the national polar research center, the head of the Belarusian Antarctic expedition Alexei Gaidashov attended the 17th meeting of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) in Tromso (Norway) to provide the information on the country’s activities in Antarctica. On 28 August, Belarus became a permanent member of COMNAP,” the press service informed.

The council meeting was attended by delegations from 29 countries-permanent members of COMNAP, representatives from the 21 observer countries and international experts. "The vote on giving the status of permanent member to the Republic of Belarus took place in a closed meeting. The heads of delegations of all 29 countries unanimously voted in favor of assigning the country the COMNAP permanent member status. Belarus became the 30th member of this most influential organization in the Antarctic Treaty system,” the NASB said.

COMNAP'S permanent member status gives the country the opportunity to participate directly in strategic decision-making on the implementation of scientific and practical activities in Antarctica, opens access to wider use of the common logistic and transport schemes of the Antarctic Treaty countries to address the national tasks in the areas of security, medical assistance, delivery of goods, exchange of scientific and technical personnel, implementing significant scientific and technological projects in the Antarctic.

The press service explained that the COMNAP permanent member status is one of the most important factors in negotiating the status of consultative party to the Antarctic Treaty for the Republic of Belarus. "This will enable the country to apply, in the near future, for the status of the consultative party. It is a great responsibility but also big opportunities for Belarus in the matter of development and research, and the influence on the international processes in Antarctica,” the NASB said.

"For nine years since Belarus’ accession to the Antarctic Treaty, COMNAP permanent member status has been given to three countries. But none of those three ballots was unanimous: some gained 50% plus one vote (Czech Republic), some got 70-75% of the votes (India). Belarus received the unanimous vote and the applause from the COMNAP permanent members," stressed the press service.

The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs was established in Hobart (Australia) in 1989. It is the second largest (after the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting) and one of the most influential public organizations of the Antarctic Treaty System. COMNAP’s purpose is to “develop and promote best practice in managing the support of scientific research in Antarctica". It does this by: serving as a forum to develop practices that improve effectiveness of activities in an environmentally responsible manner; facilitating and promoting international partnerships; providing opportunities and systems for information exchange; and providing the Antarctic Treaty system with objective and practical, technical and non-political advice drawn from the National Antarctic Programs' pool of expertise.