Belarus Demands UNESCO Mediation with Poland Over Border Barrier

Belarusian officials at a UNESCO session have called for international mediation to force a dialogue with Poland regarding the environmental impact of the border barrier.

Accusations Over Migrant Route

Belarusian services have been accused since 2021 of funneling Middle Eastern and African migrants across the borders into Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Polish special services reported that Minsk sought to destabilize NATO’s eastern flank, manufacture an artificial migration route, and force the European Union to lift sanctions.

The Border Barrier

To halt the sharp influx of people, a 186-kilometer-long and 5.5-meter-high steel barrier was constructed in 2022 along the Polish-Belarusian border. Minsk objected to the structure, arguing that it is located within the Białowieża Forest.

Belarus Demands Dialogue

Evgeny Korzun, deputy head of the International Cooperation Department at the Belarusian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, addressed the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in South Korea. He stated that the Polish barrier poses a threat to the entire ecosystem of the Białowieża Forest and called for renewed technical-level cooperation.

Request for UNESCO Mediation

Korzun asked the Committee and Secretariat to act as a mediator between Belarus and Poland to help restart expert contacts, emphasizing that nature knows no borders.

UNESCO Opinion

The Ministry of Climate and Environment announced that the UNESCO committee adopted the decision on the state of conservation of the transboundary property without objection, positively noting Poland’s protection efforts and the completion of the Management Plan for the Polish part of the forest. UNESCO highlighted the need to preserve ecological continuity and reduce habitat fragmentation, while Polish representatives stressed that national security and the area’s universal value remain top priorities.