Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Valentin Rybakov participates in the negotiations on the preparation for the UN summit

The session of intergovernmental negotiations on the preparation for the UN summit in September for the adoption the post-2015 sustainable development agenda takes place at the UN headquarters in New York.

At the current session the member states discuss options for the follow-up and review of the future agenda.

On May 19 the head of the Belarusian delegation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Valentin Rybakov made a statement during the session.

The Belarusian diplomat suggested some key principles to guide the elaboration of a mechanism to monitor progress towards sustainable development. According to the Belarusian side, review of the implementation of the new agenda should be voluntary in nature, serve as a unifying force and promote constructive dialogue and exchange of experience. The review should use a differentiated approach to the progress that states, given their priorities, achieve on the road to sustainable development.

Valentin Rybakov stressed that monitoring should not be used as an instrument of pressure on countries – it is ruled out by the mere logic of the agenda dedicated to the development and prosperity. In addition, the review mechanism should take full account of the interests of all countries and categories of countries, including middle-income countries, Belarus being one of them.

The intergovernmental negotiations will continue in the coming months and will conclude by the preparation of the draft outcome document of the UN Summit.

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