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Change of
Direction
"The MinskTimes" Socio-political Weekly
December 15, 2005
The UN General Assembly approves a new approach to solving
Chernobyl-related problems.
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling the
world community to double its efforts to alleviate the consequences of the
Chernobyl tragedy. The resolution reflects the Secretary-General’s
recommendations regarding rehabilitation of the contaminated regions.
Although it is being passed almost 20 years after the largest nuclear
catastrophe in human history, its consequences are still being seen,
especially in Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine. In the course of time, new
tasks are being tackled. The UN’s current strategy focuses on
social-economic development and improvement of living conditions rather than
rendering assistance in case of emergency (which was its previous policy).
The Secretary-General’s report details the progress achieved
by international organizations in this field over the last two years. The
UN’s main achievement has been the Chernobyl Forum — initiated by the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and supported by the World Health
Organisation (WHO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), five other UN
agencies and the Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian governments. Along with
the UN resolution, it specifies the priority of providing objective
information to those who have suffered – echoing the conclusions of the
Chernobyl Forum. This should help residents overcome their fears and
reintegrate themselves into society; as social-economic possibilities grow,
the region’s welfare should improve.
The UNDP (the UN’s coordinating agency regarding Chernobyl)
has made information a priority over the coming years, along with providing
consultative assistance to all three states’ governments. They aim to use
funds for rehabilitation programs and development of local community
initiatives, as defined in the report of the Secretary-General, as the basis
for revival. In 2007, the UN General Assembly plans to evaluate the success
of the UNDP and other UN agencies’ work. |
