The UN-Belarus Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development for 2021-2025 will shift its focus from support to cooperation, as stated by UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus, Joanna Kazana-Wiszniewiecki, in an interview with the programme "Nedelya" (The Week), aired on STV channel on October 27, according to BELTA.
"The Sustainable Development Goals will be the foundation of our cooperation. What will distinguish the new programme is the emphasis on cooperation instead of support, which was the subject of our interaction in the past. Now the focus is on cooperation in the full sense of the word," noted Joanna Kazana-Wiszniewiecki.
According to her, the emphasis is shifting from support to partnership because it is already clear that no single UN agency can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals alone. Therefore, a coalition and guidance on who else can be involved in the sustainable development process are needed.
National consultations on the priorities of the UN-Belarus Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development for 2021-2025 were organised in Minsk this week. "We have opened broad consultations with national partners, inviting government bodies, all national institutions, centres, non-governmental organisations, trade unions, and religious organisations that can advise us on what, from their perspective, are the priorities that the United Nations should be addressing," explained Joanna Kazana-Wiszniewiecki.
As previously reported, until now, the UN Development Assistance Framework for Belarus has served as the basic document for cooperation between Belarus and the UN. Two such programmes were developed and implemented: for 2011-2015 and 2016-2020. The new UN programme document for Belarus is expected to be prepared in early 2020.