EU, IOM and the State Border Committee are rolling out a new information campaign to prevent COVID-19

With the support of the EU and the IOM Development Fund, IOM Belarus and the State Border Committee (SBC) are rolling out a new information campaign about COVID-19 prevention and targeting foreigners and Belarusian citizens entering the country.

At passport control, everyone will receive a leaflet with the information about COVID-19, its risks and prevention measures, as well as behavioral recommendations during the self-isolation. The information is provided in Russian and English.

The campaign is carried out with the support of funds allocated from the projects in border management and public information areas funded by the European Union and the IOM Development Fund to strengthen COVID-19 response.

Anton Bychkovskiy, the SBC Spokesperson, pointed out that “the current public health care crisis demonstrates the importance of having the most recent information on COVID-19 prevention at hand. The border guards are the first to meet the new arrivals. It seems natural to hand in the latest information on preventive measures and self-isolation recommendations right away at the points of entry”.

It is expected that 1,500 foreigners and Belarusian citizens will receive up-to-date information on COVID-19 prevention measures at the acting points of entry in Belarus every day. The information will be updated if required.



“COVID-19 has unprecedently affected the mobility of people both in terms of the migration and border management and in terms of people on the move themselves,” said Ms. Mahym Orazmuhammedova, Chief of IOM Mission in Belarus.

“This pandemic has forced governments to reconsider their approaches to migration issues and adjust them to new realms. IOM Belarus welcomes the readiness of the Belarusian governments in this regard: for example, now foreigners can request to extend their stay in Belarus in case that they cannot leave the country due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Our information campaign is another joint step to strengthen preparedness and the COVID-19 response, particularly, at the points of entry with respect for the rights of those who are on the move. We are glad to have the support of the EU and the IOM Development Fund on our side”, concluded Ms. Orazmuhammedova.

The second part of the campaign will take place in social media networks to reach more people.