Opinion: sanctions against Belarus harm the whole planet

The Belarusian delegation has recently taken part in the Summit of the Future at the UN headquarters in New York. Belarusians stated that they have neither internal contradictions nor claims against other states. As noted by the National Co-ordinator of Belarus for Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly, Sergei Khomenko, the country values good-neighbourly relations and friendship between peoples. At the same time, the Belarusian side stressed that peace and security on the planet can be achieved only through joint efforts, realising the Sustainable Development Goals, while the sanctions pressure exerted by the West on Belarusians hinders progress on Earth. In his talk with Alfa Radio, the Dean of the Journalism Department at the Belarusian State University, political expert Aleksei Belyaev, speculated on the issue.

“Sustainable development means preservation of peace for our descendants. To achieve this, it is necessary to maintain the existing socio-economic level and protect natural resources. All this is possible provided that modern technologies come to remote corners of the world. Look at what the sanctions pressure affects: it primarily results in the reduction of technological capabilities that are aimed at energy conservation. Differently speaking, sanctions contradict the Sustainable Development Goals,” Mr. Belyaev said.

As noted by the expert, Belarus understands its responsibility to future generations and neighbours. “The National Strategy for Sustainable Development is operational in Belarus, and it is running until 2030. Belarusians are clearly and gradually implementing it and all its provisions,” he said. “I would like to note that the document contains almost a hundred pages with economic calculations and forecasts, and we wish our Western colleagues to appreciate this. So far, we have not seen significant steps to lift sanctions and reduce pressure on our technological sovereignty. Nevertheless, Belarus co-operates with other countries, including the Global South. Belarusians have found partners with whom they can speak the language of interaction, not confrontation.”