OSCE Office in Minsk assists Belarus in conducting trans-boundary environmental impact assessment

MINSK, 22 June 2009 - A seminar on conducting trans-boundary impact assessments focusing on the Neman River, organized by the OSCE Office in Minsk and Belarus's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, opened in Minsk today.

The discussions focused on the necessary consultations and exchange of information foreseen under the Espoo convention on environmental impact assessment. Belarus and Lithuania are parties to the Convention, and will assess the impact of the construction of a Belarusian hydro-electric station on the Neman River in Grodno Oblast, near the Lithuanian border.

Ambassador Hans-Jochen Schmidt, the Head of the OSCE Office in Minsk, opened the workshop.

"Supporting countries in fulfilling international conventions in the field on environmental security remains a critical task of the OSCE in general," he said.

"Belarus, whose borders coincide with the natural river boundaries of the Neman on the North-West, the Prypiat in the South and the Dnepr in the East, is committing itself to co-operation with other countries in the region. The OSCE Office stands ready to work together with international and national partners on a longer term project as foreseen under the Espoo convention."

Belarusian and Lithuanian governmental experts as well as representatives from the Secretariat to the Convention on environmental impact assessment, civil society and academia took part in the event.

The event is expected to be followed by a pilot project that would be jointly implemented by the OSCE, the UN Economic Commission for Europe, the UN Development Programme and the national authorities of Belarus and Lithuania.