Main News Regional Forum on Sustainable Development was held in Gomel

Regional Forum on Sustainable Development was held in Gomel

18 October 2021

On October 15, 2021, the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development of the Gomel Region was held on the basis of the State Institution «Gomel Regional Social and Cultural Center» with the support of UNDP in the Republic of Belarus. The event was held in a hybrid format.

The event was attended by the National Coordinator for the achievement of the SDGs, the UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Belarus, the leadership of the Ministry of Economy, the National Statistical Committee, the Gomel Regional Executive Committee, district executive committees, representatives of public organizations, financial institutions, educational and scientific institutions.

Progress towards sustainable development of the Gomel region in the context of three components: economic, social and environmental spheres was discussed at the regional forum. The Gomel region occupies 20% of the industrial volume. The share of GDP is 101.5%. Export potential is developing steadily. New and existing social facilities are constantly being introduced and the existing ones are being modernized: schools in Gomel, a modern kindergarten in Mozyr, a children’s regional hospital equipped with the latest technology, the Gomel central city polyclinic, a rehabilitation department in the Gomel boarding school for disabled children. The projects «Accessible Environment – Inclusive Belarus», «Healthy Cities and Villages» are being implemented. New treatment facilities have been commissioned in Rogachev, a major overhaul of the wastewater treatment plant has been completed in Rechitsa, waterlogging of drained peatlands and other environmental protection measures are underway.

The central topic of discussion at the Forum was the UNDP initiative to create the Chernobyl Investment Platform, the goal of which is to revive the territories contaminated by the Chernobyl disaster, leaving no one behind development opportunities.

The platform creates advanced conditions for:

public-private partnership;
accumulation and dissemination of experience in project implementation;
evaluating the effectiveness of support instruments (subsidies) with an emphasis on the needs of the local population;
exchange of existing and new innovative solutions, innovations;
diffusion of technologies, management methods;
attracting funding from new sources.