News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 16 June (BelTA) - The UN General Assembly elected Belarus as a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2018-2020 at a meeting in the UN headquarters in New York on 15 June, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Election of Belarus to the ECOSOC demonstrates a high level of confidence of the United Nations Member States in Belarus, its’ authority in the international arena, as well as hope vested in Belarus as a new member of ECOSOC," the press service said.

The Economic and Social Council is one of the main organs of the United Nations. ECOSOC comprises 54 states that are elected by the General Assembly for three years on a geographical basis. Six countries represent Eastern Europe.

ECOSOC is a central organ in the United Nations system in promoting all three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental.

The term, during which Belarus will be an ECOSOC Member (2018-2020), will be the ninth for the country. The first time the United Nations General Assembly elected Belarus to the ECOSOC was in 1947. The candidature of Belarus to ECOSOC was unanimously endorsed by the states of the Eastern European Group.

ECOSOC is responsible for promoting the improvement of living standards, identifying ways to resolve international problems in the economic and social fields, international cooperation in the fields of culture and education, promoting universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Reforms over the last decade have strengthened ECOSOC’s leading role in achieving a balanced integration of the three pillars of sustainable development. ECOSOC is charged with giving special attention to coordinated follow-up on major high-level United Nations conferences and summits.