"Ecotourism development to promote green transition to inclusive and sustainable growth" project has been launched in Belarus

The international technical assistance project "Ecotourism development to promote green transition to inclusive and sustainable growth" was approved by the Resolution No. 141 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of March 12, 2021. 

The international technical assistance project will be implemented in the national execution mode by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus with the support of the UNDP country office. 

The goal of the international technical assistance project is to support the development of eco-tourism in specially protected natural areas (hereinafter referred to as protected areas) for the "green" transition of the Republic of Belarus to inclusive and sustainable growth and to strengthen cross-border cooperation with the Russian Federation. 

The international technical assistance project is aimed at strengthening the capacity and introducing a mechanism for implementing a set of measures for the development and promotion of ecotourism in protected areas and consolidating cooperation between private companies, state environmental institutions and local communities. 

The implementation of the international technical assistance project will contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Sustainable Development Agenda for the period up to 2030, the State program for the Development of the System of Specially Protected Natural Territories until January 1, 2030 (approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 649 of July 2, 2014), a set of Measures for the Development and Promotion of Eco-tourism in Specially Protected Natural Territories for the period up to 2025 (approved by Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Rusym on February 14, 2017). No. 06/214-33/94), the State program "Environmental Protection and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources for 2021-2025". 

The Government of the Russian Federation, through the Russian Federation-UNDP Trust Fund for Development acted as a donor to the international technical assistance project. The total amount of funding is US $ 1,200,000. 

The international technical assistance project is designed for 3 years. 

Pilot sites covered by the project will include the following cross-border protected areas with the Russian Federation: State Environmental Institution Republican Landscape Reserve "Ozery", State Environmental Institution the Republican Landscape Reserve "Naliboksky", State Environmental Institution ECO-ROSY (Republican Landscape Reserve "Krasny Bor"), State Environmental Institution Reserve of Republican Significance "Osveiskiy".