Events

MINSK, 15 June (BelTA) – Belarus may become the chairperson of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in two years, BelTA learned from UNECE Deputy Executive Secretary Andrei Vasilyev on the sidelines of the seventh session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention on 15 June.

Andrei Vasilyev said: “The organization of today’s conference is outstanding. It is not the first event Belarus has organized and I have taken part in and the organization is always excellent. Our commission works closely with Belarus, which acts as a UNECE vice chairperson this year. We hope that in two years Belarus will act as the chairperson of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.”

The UNECE deputy executive secretary stressed that the commission cooperates with Belarus in many areas, for instance, transport, forests, sustainable energy, innovations, and public private partnership. “Belarus is an active member of our organization and we are always happy to visit Minsk,” he concluded.

The 7^th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention is scheduled to take place in Minsk on 13-16 June. About 200 people representing 45 countries parties to the Espoo Convention are taking part in the events. Among them are ministers and deputy ministers of environmental protection ministries and other agencies, high-ranking officials of international organizations and financial institutions, representatives of the general public.

The Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context was adopted in Espoo, Finland on 25 February 1991 to come into force on 10 September 1997. It has been ratified by 45 countries. The Espoo Convention obliges the signatories to carry out an environmental impact assessment of certain activities at an early stage of planning. It also lays down general obligations of the parties to the Convention to notify and consult each other on all major projects under consideration if such projects are likely to adversely affect the environment beyond national borders.