LocationsThe Gomel region of Belarus has outlined a new regional strategy for sustainable development until 2040, with a focus on industrial modernization, social inclusion, and environmental protection. The roadmap was presented at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development organized with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Gomel Region’s Strategic Pivot: Innovation, Inclusion and Environmental Sustainability
September 18, 2025
Photo: UNDP in Belarus
Gomel, 18 September 2025 – Today, more than 140 participants — including local officials, business leaders, educators, and youth — gathered at Gomel State Medical University during the XIX Gomel Economic Forum to adapt global sustainability goals to regional needs.
The strategy, developed by the Gomel Regional Executive Committee with UNDP support, identifies three core priorities: modernizing industry through innovation, improving quality of life for people, and transitioning towards green and circular economic models. Special emphasis is placed on the districts, developing after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
UNDP's Resident Representative Ms. Renfei Liu delivers a video address to the participants of the Forum.
Photo: UNDP in Belarus.
“Looking ahead, the Gomel Regional Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2040 – developed with UNDP support – can be a powerful catalyst for further change,” emphasized Ms. Renfei Liu, UNDP’s Resident Representative in the Republic of Belarus, in her welcoming address to the participants of the forum.
Over the past decade, UNDP has implemented more than 75 projects across the Gomel region, focusing on inclusive entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, and community development.
The forum showcased the region's sustainable development achievements, highlighting successful practices in healthcare and education and the adoption of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles in business.
SDG pilot initiatives presented at the event, implemented with UNDP support, included Belarus's first online resource center for people with disabilities in Gomel and an innovative agricultural venture, the NovoSad farm, in the Bragin district. Other initiatives include an inclusive coffee training center and a wheelchair tire production facility, demonstrating the practical application of social inclusion.
A forester is showing firefighting tactic for using a backpack with sprayer.
Photo: UNDP in Belarus.
In partnership with Belarus' Ministry of Forestry, UNDP is implementing a project “The Safeguarding Forests of Belarus: A Comprehensive Fire Preparedness Initiative for Community-Based Fire Prevention and Response”. The initiative, funded by China through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, covers Belarus’ most fire-prone Gomel and Brest regions.
Another large-scale project aimed at strengthening the health care system in areas affected by the Chernobyl disaster is in its launch phase The initiative, also supported by the People's Republic of China, will establish an interregional center for specialized medical care at the Mozyr Central City Hospital, significantly improving access to high-tech medical care for residents of the affected areas.
Photo: UNDP in Belarus.
The annual regional forums supported by UNDP across Belarus have become a key platform for sharing experiences and coordinating efforts to achieve the SDGs. The Gomel Regional Forum on Sustainable Development is facilitated by the international technical assistance project “Support to the Efforts of the Republic of Belarus in Nationalization and Localization of SDGs,” implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus with financial support from the Russian Federation.
These events demonstrate UNDP's commitment to the principle of “leaving no one behind” and confirm the effectiveness of multilateral cooperation.
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