CSTO General Secretary Nikolai Bordyuzha has assessed the results of Belarus’ presidency, noting, “Our priorities are to strengthen security in the region. Those proposed by Minsk aren’t limited to the past year, as it has aimed to create stepping stones for the CSTO’s work for years to come. The organisation of peacekeeping with the UN has been on the agenda, with an efficient mechanism of collaboration set out, as confirmed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking on April 22nd at an extended session of the CSTO Permanent Council in Moscow.”
The Belarusian proposal to set up a partnership institute within the CSTO is also a priority task for the organisation. It could become a real instrument for the development of relations between the CSTO and other international organisations and states.
A draft target programme has been elaborated to equip the CSTO Collective Rapid Response Forces with contemporary weaponry. Military-industrial enterprises from CSTO states will produce these, aiding employment and the development of dozens of defence related enterprises.
Each of the areas proposed by Minsk as a priority will become a focus for more than a year, with Belarusian initiatives implemented for some time to come. Each is essential in supporting the development of the CSTO — not just in the military sphere.
Security issues are a priority in resisting terrorism and extremism, illegal drug trafficking and illegal migration. Moreover, strategies are needed to deal with emergency situations (natural and technogenic) and to tackle cyber crime. Over recent years, the CSTO has organised well-thought out military co-operation, able to react to a wide range of contemporary threats and challenges.
