Events

MINSK, 31 May (BelTA) – The Belarusian Council of Ministers issued Resolution No. 419 on 30 May to approve the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) country program for the Republic of Belarus 2016-2020, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Government.

The UNICEF program will focus on the international technical assistance projects in four main areas: creating a safe and supportive environment for the child, realizing the rights of children with special needs and disabilities, creation of favorable environment to reduce the vulnerability of adolescents and their full participation in decision-making, the study of the situation of children and the strengthening of partnership for the realization of children's rights.

The resource base of the program will be $8.465 million, of which $4.465 million will be allocated from regular resources and $4 million will be provided by other donors of international technical assistance. All projects planned for the implementation under the program will be approved in accordance with the legislation of Belarus.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall coordinate and monitor the implementation of the program.

The government has also approved several projects of international technical assistance. Among them is the program “Improving professional capacities of the Belarusian regulatory body in the field of nuclear and radiation safety and its technical support system”. Project funding is €324,000 on behalf of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The project is aimed at developing the national regulatory infrastructure in the field of nuclear and radiation safety.

Another project is the program to support human resources and develop infrastructure for the first nuclear power plant with the funding of €252,000 by the IAEA. The program aims to improve the training system to ensure the reliable operation of the nuclear power plant.

Another program is “Development of the pilot project for the protection of the rights of children with severe disabilities and special needs children in Belarus”. Funding is about €241,000 from the European Union. The project is aimed at protecting the rights of children with severe disabilities and special needs children and their families.

The government also approved the program “Development of approaches to the harmonization of integrated strategies for internationalization in the field of higher education, research and innovations in the EU and the partner countries”. Funding is approximately €130,000 by the EU program Erasmus+. A strategy for internationalization of higher education at the national level will be developed under this program.

The government also endorsed the program “Creation of the network infrastructure to support innovative youth entrepreneurship at production laboratories”. Funding is about €127,000 by the EU program Erasmus+. The program provides for setting up university-based laboratories, fitting them with innovative equipment, creating the infrastructure to support cooperation between universities and industries.

This resolution shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.