KYIV – The concluding meeting of the project “Assessment of Environmental Risks in the Exclusion Zone along the Ukrainian and Belarusian Borders” was organized by the OSCE Office of Economic and Environmental Activities on June 9 in Kyiv. With some 500 kilometers of the common border crossing the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Belarus and Ukraine face the challenge of ensuring the safety of border guards and other personnel during the border demarcation in radioactively contaminated areas. Since 2013 the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has supported both countries in strengthening the capacity of relevant national authorities to address such risks to people through this project. Attended by over 30 government representatives and researchers, this expert-level meeting presented the main outcomes of the project, including maps of radioactive contamination on the border and regulations for personnel radiation safety jointly developed by Belarusian and Ukrainian experts. Results of the project were welcomed by representatives of both countries as a valuable contribution to transboundary cooperation. The meeting included a discussion of necessary follow-up steps to be taken by authorities in both countries. In particular, the importance of addressing forest fires in the Chornobyl exclusion zone was highlighted as one of the priority areas.
This project is supported under the Environment and Security Initiative. (OSCE)