Events

8 Dec 2022

Belarus calls on UNICEF to assess negative impact of sanctions on progress towards SDGs

An archive photo

MINSK, 7 December (BelTA) - Belarus called on UNICEF to contribute to the assessment of the negative impact of Western economic sanctions on the efforts undertaken by states to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yuri Ambrazevich as he met with UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Karin Hulshof on the sidelines of the 77^th session of the UN General Assembly on 6 December, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The parties discussed issues of current and future cooperation in the priority areas social development, healthcare and education, protection of children and adolescents, inclusion of children with disabilities. Yuri Ambrazevich called on UNICEF, as one of the most authoritative agencies of the UN system, to contribute to the assessment of the negative impact of Western economic sanctions on the efforts undertaken by states to achieve the SDGs.

Yuri Ambrazevich held a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General, head of the Counter-Terrorism Department Vladimir Voronkov. The parties discussed topical issues of cooperation between Belarus and the UN Counter-Terrorism Office in the field of combating terrorism, challenges and threats facing the international community in this area. The deputy minister noted that Belarus would continue to consistently and effectively respond to threats related to international terrorism, including as part of building capacity in the field of international information security and countering the use of information and communication technologies for terrorist and criminal purposes.

Vladimir Voronkov stressed the constructive nature of Belarus' contacts with the UN Counter-Terrorism Office. He thanked Belarus for the successful organization and holding in 2019 in Minsk, together with the UN, of the High-Level International Conference “Combating Terrorism Using Innovative Approaches and the Use of New and Emerging Technologies”. He expressed hope that fruitful cooperation on counter-terrorism issues will continue. Outlining the priority areas of Belarus' chairmanship in the CSTO, Yuri Ambrazevich announced plans to hold an international conference on Eurasian security in Minsk with an emphasis on the interdependence of sustainable development and sustainable security.

On 7 December 2022 Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yuri Ambrazevich took part in a roundtable organized at the United Nations by the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of the Philippines on the topic “Social and legal problems fueling trafficking in women and children”.

Among the participants of the event were representatives of UN member states from all regions of the world, including members of the Belarus-led UN Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking, as well as a wide range of representatives from academia, international and non-governmental organizations. The speakers noted the important contribution of Belarus to strengthening the coordination of international efforts to combat human trafficking, and pointed out a number of problems and proposed their solutions for a more effective joint fight against this criminal practice.