Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 19 February (BelTA) – Setting up a UN House in Minsk will strengthen the cooperation between Belarus and the United Nations and improve the interaction between the UN agencies, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus Sanaka Samarasinha told journalists, BelTA has learned.

“The opening of a UN House in Minsk would be a symbolic event. The House would considerably enhance the quality of our cooperation,” he believes.

The possibility of opening a UN House in Minsk has been on the agenda for many years. It was considered at the Belarus President Administration, the Belarusian Government, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “I have sent a letter to President Alexander Lukashenko asking him for assistance with this important matter,” Sanaka Samarasinha said.

He noted that Belarus is an active member of the United Nations. It was one of the first countries to open a UN Office. However, today Belarus is the only state in Eastern Europe and the CIS with no UN House. Fifteen UN units operate in Minsk today, Sanaka Samarasinha added.