The 36th Anniversary and International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

On April 26, 1986, the world was shaken by a terrible tragedy: the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine (part of the USSR at that time). The accident was the biggest man-made disaster in the history of the nuclear power industry. The explosion released large amounts of radioactive substances into the atmosphere, which then spread across the western part of the USSR and part of Europe. Radioactive contamination forever changed lives of millions, and the consequences are still being felt today.

For Belarus, the Chernobyl disaster is of particular importance. The consequences of the accident affected a large part of the territory having led to the resettlement and disruption of the normal way of life of hundreds of thousands of Belarusians.

Since 1990 five State programmes on overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe have been implemented in the Republic. To date, the equivalent of USD 19.3 billion has been spent on the implementation of the programmes.

Belarus is grateful to all international partners who have not remained indifferent to the sufferings of people in the contaminated territories and have provided assistance within their power.

It was symbolic that the United Nations General Assembly during its seventy-first session and with the support of its 60 Member States declared April 26 as the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day.

Much has been accomplished but much remains to be done. The focus of national efforts on Chernobyl is being consciously broadened by the Government of the Republic of Belarus from assistance and rehabilitation to sustainable development of the economic and human potential of the affected regions. The sixth State Programme on overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl NPP catastrophe for 2021-2025 provides for five goals:
 — Ensuring social protection, medical care, health-resort treatment and rehabilitation for the affected population;
 — Ensuring radiation protection and the targeted application of protective measures;
 — Promotion of socio-economic development of the affected regions;
 — Improving health-resort treatment and rehabilitation of children living or studying in areas of radioactive contamination;  
 — Scientific research and information work.

Overcoming the long-term consequences of the Chernobyl accident requires huge national efforts and formation of new partnerships to promote sustainable development of the affected regions and to attract innovation and investment.

In 2019, the UN General Assembly in its resolution recognized the continuing legacy of the Chernobyl disaster and the need to further ensure sustainable development of the recovering areas, with a focus on local business and tourism development, jobs creation, transition of local economies to green technologies, promotion of sustainable forestry and agricultural innovation, inclusion of people in vulnerable situations in processes of local development and healthy lifestyle promotion.

Belarus counts on support of UN institutions, Member States and private investors and is interested in attracting international partners to address the practical challenges the State faces in ensuring sustainable development of these regions and the people who inhabit them.

We look forward to continuing fruitful cooperation with all partners to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the affected regions.

Print version