Experts rated the sustainable development potential of the Vitebsk region among the highest in the regions

Experts have rated the sustainable development potential of the Vitebsk region higher than other regions of Belarus, said Lyudmila Sokolovskaya, head of the EU/UNDP project "Support for Local Development in the Republic of Belarus," at a meeting in the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee today.

This project has been implemented since 2014 at the level of districts and their specific territories and involves interaction between authorities, businesses, and local residents. The total budget is 5.4 million euros.

"We have already implemented the first competition of local initiatives, which received over 700 applications from all over the republic. 16 initiatives from the Vitebsk region won and received financial support of about 200 thousand euros. We have also selected 5 pilot districts from each region with which we continue to cooperate. They will participate in the main competition of local initiatives. But already now, based on two independent studies conducted within the project, I can say that the potential of the Vitebsk region has been rated higher than all other regions of Belarus," Lyudmila Sokolovskaya noted.

She clarified that this refers to the "My District" study by SATIO company (all 118 districts of the republic were studied at the request of the project) and a study at the level of rural councils of the Vitebsk region conducted by the institution "New Eurasia." Currently, in all pilot districts, initiative groups of citizens, representatives of local authorities, businesses, and non-profit organizations have been created and continue to be created, defining their development priorities.

of their territories. This will form the basis of a territorial development passport (TOR) for each pilot region. "Vitebsk region is characterized by the fact that most initiatives support the development of agro-ecotourism and the socio-cultural sphere, while there are few proposals with an economic component," added Lyudmila Sokolovskaya.

Today, a round table "Sustainable Regional Development: EU Best Practices" is being held at the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, where preliminary results of the implementation of two projects - components of the program "Support for Regional and Local Development in Belarus", financed by the European Union - are being announced. The first, eponymous project is already being completed, and the second, "Promoting Local Development in the Republic of Belarus," is entering its most active phase. In addition, representatives of the leadership of city and district executive committees and public organizations present at the meeting will learn about EU instruments and programs for regions and opportunities for obtaining financing.

Ekaterina Knyazeva - BELTA.