Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 24 October (BelTA) – A new stage of cooperation is related with the rethinking of Belarus’ role and possibilities in the United Nations, Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Dapkiunas told a briefing dedicated to the UN Day, BelTA has learned.

“After Belarus had become independent, the advent of UN development agencies and the foundation of a UN office in the country defined a new stage of Belarus’ participation in the organization. This stage is characterized by growing interaction, more intensive cooperation and contacts, and the rethinking of Belarus’ role and capacities in the UN,” Andrei Dapkiunas noted.

The deputy minister underlined that today’s event marks two big dates: the UN Day and the 25th anniversary of the agreement between the Belarusian government and the UNDP.

Andrei Dapkiunas congratulated all those present on the UN Day and wished fruitful work and new achievements to those who had committed their careers with the organization. “Those working in secretariats of UN international organizations in field and country programs daily establish the organization’s high ideals through practical assistance and cooperation. I also extend congratulations on the UN Day to everyone for whom this abbreviation is not a mere word: the diplomats who are present today, representatives of the UN Group of Friends, who have been bound together with this organization’s high-level mission over their careers one way or another. Perhaps, this also refers to people who are far from the diplomatic job and international service but pay equal respect to the UN’s noble principles and historical mission,” Andrei Dapkiunas noted.

He drew special attention to the 25th anniversary of cooperation between the Belarusian government and the UNDP. In his words, over this period of time Belarus has become strongly associated with several well-known topics and initiatives in the international arena and outside the UN system. In particular, this is about the coordination of multilateral effort to combat human trafficking. The deputy minister proudly underlined that Belarus was one of the originators of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons and the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons. Moreover, together with like-minded countries, Belarus is among the world leaders in terms of protecting the collective interests of average-income countries.