Canada to lift sanctions on Belarus
Canada plans to lift sanctions against Belarus which have been in place since 2006, Rosbalt reported. A similar action was taken by the US and the EU in October of 2015.
According the official website of the Canadian Government, Ottawa has recently seen “positive developments” in Belarus.
“This announcement… reflects Canada’s acknowledgment that the Government of Belarus has made progress in key areas in recent months, including the release of political prisoners and conducting a presidential election in October 2015, which demonstrated greater adherence to international norms and was not marked by the levels of violence and intimidation seen in past elections,” the website states.
Ottawa also recognized the constructive role that Belarus has played in facilitating negotiations aimed towards resolving the war in Ukraine.
Canada first imposed sanctions against Belarus in 2006 due to violations of democratic principles and human rights abuses in the country.
“Going forward, Canada will continue to monitor the evolving situation in Belarus and will engage with the Government of Belarus in order to advance human rights, democratic standards and norms, and respect for the rights of civil society,” the Canadian Government stated.