MINSK, 26 April (BelTA) - The use of food and supply chains as an instrument of political pressure and economic blackmail is the height of cynicism and deliberate provocation, Deputy Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN Pavel Yevseyenko said at the UN Commission on Population and Development session, BelTA has learned.
The Belarusian diplomat noted that at its previous session the commission stressed in its resolution that food security, nutrition and food safety were key elements in eradicating poverty in all its forms and manifestations, and called for greater efforts to transform food systems in order to make them more sustainable to achieve food security in developing countries.
“We regret to state that this good intention has remained solely on paper,” said Pavel Yevseyenko. “Despite the fact that Belarus has been living under the sanction pressure of the collective West for two years now, our economy is successfully coping with the impact of these negative measures.”
However, the same cannot be said about the economies of the countries, initiators of reckless unilateral sanctions, as well as developing countries that are directly dependent on supplies, such as Belarusian potash fertilizers, the Belarusian representative said.
“With nearly two billion people in the world undernourished, the use of food and supply chains as an instrument of political pressure and economic blackmail is the height of cynicism and deliberate provocation, which has led to a record inflation and deteriorated living standards of ordinary people today,” said the diplomat.
In his words, Belarus urges to stop the aggressive policy, which today continues to undermine economic systems, already affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and only pushes the world into the abyss of poverty and hunger.
“Today, the sustainable development of any nation depends on dialogue, action and decisions of all countries. In this regard, Belarus confirms its readiness to continue constructive mutually beneficial and respectful cooperation with all international partners,” Pavel Yevseyenko said.
