Opinions & Interviews

“Belarus is one of the few Eastean European countries to be paying attention to sustainable development and have worked its own national strategy,” the expert said.

“It is high time to focus on the national strategy. Very soon far-reaching decisions will be taken at the world level. In particular, Paris is gearing up to host the world climate conference. Belarus takes it into account in its strategy and would like to make its contribution to the world processes,” Klaus Reuter, Head of the Agenda 21 Consortium North Rhine-Westphalia, said. In his words, the organization has been cooperating with the Johannes Rau International Center for Education and Exchange in Minsk for years. “This year we have been tasked with analyzing Belarus’ national sustainable development strategy and can say it is quite ambitious,” he stressed.

The German experts believe that the work at the local level will play crucial importance in the implementation of the national sustainable development strategy through 2030.

Belarus’ national sustainable development strategy through 2030 has been submitted for public hearing which is to complete on 12 December. The document reflects the conceptual provisions of long-term development in the field of economy, social policy and environmental security, the basic priorities and areas of activities of the state and society to improve the competitiveness of the national economy, increase the living standards and quality of life of the Belarusian citizens, conservation and rational use of natural resources.

The draft strategy has been prepared by the Economy Ministry jointly with the Research Economy Institute, with the participation of the state administration bodies, regional executive committees, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, representatives of the business community and experts of international organizations such as the UN/UNDP in Belarus, the World Bank, and the Johannes Rau International Center for Education and Exchange in Minsk.