Belarus has asked the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and the World Heritage Centre Secretariat to act as mediators between Belarus and Poland on preserving the ecosystem of the Białowieża Forest.
The request was made on July 24 by Yauhen Korzun, deputy head of the International Cooperation Department at Belarus’ Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, according to a statement by the ministry.
The Belarusian representative said the barrier built by Poland in response to the migration crisis poses a threat to the ecosystem of the Białowieża Forest.
“We are convinced that all issues related to the Białowieża Forest must be resolved exclusively on a professional basis and in strict accordance with international environmental agreements, both universal and regional,” he said.
In his view, only joint and coordinated action can guarantee “the preservation of this heritage for future generations.”
“Belarus reaffirms its unwavering readiness to resume constructive dialogue on any platform and in any format regarding the preservation of the forest’s ecosystems. We believe that technical-level cooperation should resume immediately,” the ministry representative said.
He appealed to the committee and the secretariat to act as mediators between Belarus and Poland.
“We are convinced that the assistance of the World Heritage Centre will help restore expert-level contacts. We take note of the recommendations to conduct a monitoring mission in 2027 and confirm the readiness of the Belarusian side to receive experts from the World Heritage Centre and the IUCN in the first quarter of 2027,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Korzun stressed that “nature knows no borders,” adding that Belarus supports “joint nature conservation, without politicization.”