OREANDA-NEWS. April 23, 2012. Yakov Kenigsberg has been appointed representative of the Belarusian government in the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), according to Council of Ministers Resolution No.337.

In line with UN GA Resolution No.66/70 of 12 January 2012, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus designated head of the radiation security laboratory of the National Sci-Tech Center for Hygiene, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Pr. Yakov Kenigsberg as Belarus’ representative in the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.

According to the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, on 10 November 2011 the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly approved a draft resolution on the effects of atomic radiation which envisaged the UNSCEAR expansion from 21 to 27 members and the inclusion of six more countries including Belarus as its full members. The decision showed the recognition by the international community of Belarus’ high scientific potential in studying the effects of atomic radiation on mankind and the environment.

Since 2008 Belarus has been taking an active part in UNSCEAR annual sessions as an observer.

Belarus’ knowledge and experience gained as part of the effort to mitigate the Chernobyl consequences will let the country make a considerable contribution to the UNSCEAR activity, especially keeping in mind the work initiated by the committee to study the scale and consequences of the Fukushima accident in Japan.

UNSCEAR was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 3 December 1955. Its mandate is to assess and report levels and effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Governments and organizations throughout the world rely on the Committee’s estimates as the scientific basis for evaluating radiation risk and for establishing protective measures.