Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 1 October (BelTA) – Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei presented Belarus’ view on the reformation of the United Nations as he took part in the general debate of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly on 1 October, BelTA has learned.

The diplomat noted that in recent years the UN member States had passed such fundamental documents as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. At the end of the year the international community will give the green light to another two documents that are expected to bring fresh hope to the world – global agreements on refugees and migrants.

“Implementation of these key initiatives is designed to bring about dramatic changes to all nations and peoples, to secure fair globalization where no one loses, to eradicate poverty and to preserve the planet for the generations to come,” the minister emphasized.

In his words, efforts to respond to global challenges and fulfill common goals showed that no country is able to address global concerns on its own. “There cannot be individual progress without collective progress. Therefore, even though the UN is criticized for a reason, we still need this organization as a unique platform for cooperation, an efficient multilateral mechanism based on principles of equality and respect to all countries, their priorities and needs,” Vladimir Makei is convinced.

He believes that in order to help nations achieve ambitious goals of the 2030 Agenda, it is necessary to set up country-specific UN teams that will be able to provide meaningful and practical support to governments on their way to sustainable development. “This is the essence of the UN reformation,” the Belarusian diplomat noted.

BelTA informed earlier that Vladimir Makei is on a visit to New York on 1-4 October. He is set to meet with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed. Vladimir Makei and Amina J. Mohammed will hold a thematic session on achieving the SDGs.

Vladimir Makei will also open the photo exhibition "To Be the Champion: The Story of Great Victories" at the UN headquarters. The exposition is dedicated to the Belarusian sport and the country’s contribution to the international Olympic movement. The event will give start to a large-scale international promotion campaign of the 2nd European Games 2019.