Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 23 October (BelTA) - Belarus looks forward to further fruitful partnership with the United Nations country team in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, Vice Speaker of the Council of the Republic, National Coordinator for SDGs Marianna Shchetkina said at a meeting with heads of UN agencies, BelTA learned from the press service of the upper chamber of Belarusian Parliament.

Marianna Shchetkina thanked the UN country team for cooperation. “The UN ensures the implementation of global goals on the planetary level. But all this work starts from the work in an individual country. We are grateful for the support and we look forward to further fruitful cooperation,” Marianna Shchetkina said. The key to the achievement of the SDGs is the effective partnership of all stakeholders: the Council on Sustainable Development, the parliamentary and partnership groups, UN country team. “It is important when we all are are result-oriented. It is the cohesion that contributes to progress towards the SDGs. This will determine the future of not only our country but of the planet,” Marianna Shchetkina noted.

In January 2019 Belarus plans to hold the first national forum on SDGs to consider the National Sustainable Development Strategy by 2035. Today's meeting of the SDGs working group of the National Assembly and the heads of UN agencies was meant to discuss the SDGs efforts, to exchange the views and jointly develop solutions which will be built into the national strategy.

The working group and the UN agencies made presentations on the SDGs support priorities. The Council of the Republic informed that the speakers focused on four main areas: green transition to inclusive and sustainable growth, focus on future generations, digital transformation and social innovations, gender equality.

The participants of the meeting discussed the mechanisms of public-private partnerships in Belarus, support for women's entrepreneurship and other topics.