MINSK, 10 February (BelTA) – Belarus suggests setting up a separate group in the United Nations to collectively advance the interests of middle-income countries, Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Valentin Rybakov said as he attended a meeting of the UN member states that are active supporters of the interests of middle-income countries in New York on 9 February, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the Belarusian diplomat, multilateral development efforts, including the UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, should include comprehensive coordinated assistance to middle-income countries. “Valentin Rybakov suggested that the most active supporters of this idea, including Belarus, set up a separate group within the UN for the collective promotion of the interests of middle-income countries,” the press service informed.
Valentin Rybakov briefed the meeting on Belarus’ approaches aimed at raising the United Nations’ attention to this category of countries where more than half of the world’s population lives.
“The participants of the meeting, heads of missions to the UN representing countries of the various regional groups agreed on further joint steps that would contribute to the sustainable development of middle-income countries,” the press service informed.