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13.11.2013

Agreement on UN FAO technical aid to Belarus ratified

MINSK, 13 November (BelTA) – The House of Representatives have passed a draft bill on ratification of the agreement between the Government of Belarus and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on technical assistance, BelTA has learnt.

The agreement was signed on 8 May 2013. According to the document, Belarus undertakes certain commitments, including in customs clearance of the equipment under the projects, etc.

According to Agrarian Policy Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Vladislav Tsydik, Belarus will get technical aid of over $650,000 under the agreement. Aid is necessary for utilizing old inefficient chemicals, which were used in agriculture in the Soviet times.

According to Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Lyudmila Nizhevich, legal conditions for receiving technical aid from FAO were non-existent before 2013. The agreement deals with the issue. In her words, Belarus joined FAO in 2005. Among other things the move gave Belarus an access to the international experience in the agricultural sector. Belarus intensified the dialogue with this organization after the Russian language was recognized as one of FAO’s official languages in 2007.

Besides, in her words, the country cooperation program for 2013-2015, which is under development, will provide a continuation to the agreement signed between Belarus and FAO. Besides, it will help strengthening food security. The country is also fulfilling interstate procedures on signing the agreement with FAO on technical aid under the project related to the prevention of the repeated usage of old pesticides. The project is estimated at about €560,000. It can by increased.