STATEMENT by the GEF Political Focal Point in Belarus, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus A.K. Stasiyukevich on the topic "The Last Push to 2030: Implementing the GEF-9 Agenda "Nature-Climate-Pollution"

STATEMENT by the GEF Political Focal Point in Belarus, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus A.K. Stasiyukevich on the topic "The Last Push to 2030: Implementing the GEF-9 Agenda "Nature-Climate-Pollution"

Dear Mr. Chair,

Distinguished participants of the meeting,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Republic of Belarus.

First of all, I’d like to thank Republic of Uzbekistan

and the Secretariat of the Fund for the high level of organization of this event and the traditionally warm hospitality.

Global environmental problems such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation are among the most pressing and require urgent solutions more than ever.

Our country consistently, responsibly, and independently implements its international obligations under environmental conventions. Belarus is a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and, accordingly, a full Party to the GEF.

Belarus strives to join forces with other states to ensure global progress in environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and climate change mitigation, and ultimately to achieve global sustainable development.

We are open to equal and mutually beneficial cooperation and are ready to share our knowledge and experience.

In recent years, we have observed a trend toward the politicization of the environmental agenda within the work of international organizations and mechanisms.

There is a segregation of countries based on political preferences when decisions are made regarding support for environmental projects in particular states. Such an approach undermines the implementation of key environmental initiatives.

In this regard, we consider sanctions policies and any politically motivated restrictions on international technical cooperation unacceptable. This is particularly true

for the environmental and climate agendas.

The global community must not allow the achievement of sustainable development, particularly its environmental component, to be accompanied by increased confrontation and manipulation. Cooperation must be built in the spirit of global partnership.

Belarus is open to constructive and mutually respectful dialogue with all stakeholders.

We are convinced that nature knows no borders, and therefore, efforts to protect it must be truly united. No single country can solve global problems alone – whether climate change, biodiversity loss, waste management.

Mr. Chair,

The Republic of Belarus expresses its hope for further impartial and constructive engagement within the framework of the Fund’s activities and wishes all countries success in achieving their goals and objectives during the upcoming ninth operational cycle.

Thank you for your attention.

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