UN seeks to replace Belarusian Red Cross to work in Belarus
The United Nations is looking to replace the Belarusian Red Cross Society (BRC) to work in Belarus. This follows the suspension of the BRC’s membership of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Buro received this information from the Belarusian UN Mission.
The international organisation is now looking to complete the current projects with the BRC and eventually replace it as a partner. They may choose to work through other NGOs, or to directly with the hospitals.
The UN agencies in Belarus are focused on completing existing projects with the Belarusian Red Cross.
The UN mission in Belarus noted that they are “exploring alternative methods to continue providing necessary support to vulnerable communities in Belarus. This is to ensure the continuity of humanitarian assistance during this transition period”.
The membership of the Belarusian humanitarian organisation in the IFRC has been suspended due to the scandalous trip of the BRC Secretary General, Dzmitry Shautsou, to the occupied Ukrainian territories. Shautsou was wearing a Z patch on his shoulder. The new financial backing of the BRC has been suspended since December 1.
According to the BRC report for 2022, which is available to Buro, 57.2% of the organization’s total budget was funded by foreign sources. The total amount of financial assistance figures up to BYN 13 million. The IFRC accounted for about 30% of all foreign funding, and in general, participants in the international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement provided 58% of BRC’s international aid. Another 41% was monetary assistance from UN agencies.
It turns out that if the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and UN agencies refuse to cooperate and fund BRC projects, the organisation will lose almost all foreign funding. Based on the 2022 report, this would be 98% of its budget.
Our new investigation in January will reveal more details about the BRC’s activities in Belarus.
