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9 Dec 2016

UN General Assembly adopts Belarus-initiated resolution on Chernobyl

UN General Assembly adopts Belarus-initiated resolution on Chernobyl

MINSK, 9 December (BelTA) – The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted by consensus the resolution Persistent Legacy of the Chernobyl Disaster, initiated and prepared by Belarus, at its plenary session in New York on 8 December, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The draft resolution was presented by Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Valentin Rybakov.

In his speech Valentin Rybakov emphasized the country’s primary focus on mitigating the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear accident and recovery of the disaster-hit areas. The deputy minister hailed the contribution of the international community, including the UN system, in the restoration and development of the polluted regions. The UN Development Programme holds a special coordinating role in these international efforts, the Belarusian representative stressed.

Valentin Rybakov also noted that Belarus has accumulated rich experience in restoration and socio-economic development of the affected areas and is ready to share its experience.

60 countries, alongside with Belarus, have become co-authors of the UN GA new document on Chernobyl.

The UN General Assembly resolution adopted upon an initiative of Belarus is a clear evidence of the international community's solidarity with the efforts of affected countries and of the willingness to continue to cooperate with them on the post-Chernobyl problems and to provide appropriate assistance.

The resolution emphasized the need to retain the attention of the international community to the post-Chernobyl problems and the coordinated international action to address long-term consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The main message of the UNGA new resolution is the need to continue international cooperation on the matter and encourage member states and all interested partners to support international cooperation on Chernobyl aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Chernobyl-affected regions, including through partnerships, innovation and investment.

The document calls upon the UN member states and institutions to coordinate approaches to the development of international Chernobyl cooperation, following the completion in 2016 of the Decade of Recovery and Sustainable Development of the Chernobyl Affected Regions.

A key symbolic component of the resolution was the designation of 26 April as International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day, to be observed every year beginning in 2017. The UN member states supported the idea that was initially voiced by Adi Roche, Irish well-known public figure, founder of the charity Chernobyl Children International, during the United Nations General Assembly meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in April 2016.

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