Humanitarian cooperation

Belarus to implement technical assistance project to improve emergency response

Aleksandr Khudoleyev

MINSK, 8 October (BelTA) – The Belarusian Emergencies Ministry will purchase machinery and equipment in line with the EU technical assistance project, First Deputy Emergencies Minister Aleksandr Khudoleyev told journalists, BelTA has learned.

“Today we are officially launching the international technical assistance project Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus. It actually kicked off in 2019 and will run through 2021. The project provides for purchasing equipment for rapid response to various emergencies related to climate change,” Aleksandr Khudoleyev said. “This is a global problem. The world is witnessing considerable climate change, which leads to losses and additional expenses,” he added.

The project was initiated by Belarus. “We would like to thank our colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania for their support in the organization and implementation of the project. This will help us gain the necessary experience in emergency response and, of course, enhance cross-border cooperation with our colleagues and friends. The project also provides for holding cross-border drills,” Aleksandr Khudoleyev noted. “The budget of the project is more than €1 million. These funds will be spent on machinery and rescue equipment for Belarus and other participants of the project. This includes vehicles with enhanced cross-country capacity that can access and work in hard-to-reach places and rescue equipment for work in confined areas and in severe and extreme weather conditions,” he added.

The international technical assistance project “ClimaAdapt: Capacity Improvement in Emergency Preparedness and Response through Climate Adaptation Actions” is financed in line with the 2014-2020 European Neighborhood Instrument Cross-border Cooperation Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus Program. The project was registered at the Belarusian Economy Ministry in October 2019 and is set to run in 2019-2021.

The lead beneficiary of the international technical assistance is the National Special Response Team of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry. The total budget is €1,096,050.75, €986,445.68 of which is allocated by the European Union.

The project is meant to intensify the Belarusian-Latvian cooperation in emergencies preparedness and response.

The project is aimed at dealing with the increased number of natural disasters and reducing their social and economic impact. It is almost impossible to control natural disasters, but the implementation of the project by Belarus and Latvia will help create safer conditions for the population by improving emergency response.

In line with the project, Belarus and Latvia intend to develop a methodology for rescue services on response to natural disasters in difficult climatic conditions. The countries will also hold a joint cross-border exercise at the training range of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry and organize seminars and visits for representatives of rescue services. Moreover, plans are in place to raise awareness of how to stay safe in a natural disaster and improve the technological capacity of Belarusian and Latvian rescue services in mitigating the negative impact of climate change.

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