Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has signed legislation approving an agreement that outlines cooperation among CIS member states on preventing and responding to epidemiological emergencies. The text of the act was published on the National Legal web portal of the republics, confirming the formal adoption of the Astana agreement signed on October 28, 2022. The document designates the Belarusian Ministry of Health as the competent authority responsible for implementing the accord within the republic.
The October 28, 2022 ceremony in Astana brought together the prime ministers of the CIS countries, marking the creation of a strengthened sanitary shield across the Commonwealth. The agreement provides for the deployment of specialized epidemic-response teams from any signatory country to assist other party states as needed, creating a more integrated framework for regional public health protection.
In the same period, President Vladimir Putin of Russia spoke at a meeting with Rospotrebnadzor staff to mark the 100th anniversary of Russia’s consumer health service. He announced plans to establish a national “Sanitary Shield” to safeguard the population from biological threats, underscoring the strategic importance of coordinated health defense measures.
Earlier discussions highlighted Russia’s intention to modernize border controls as part of the sanitary shield initiative. In 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova described the federal project as a broad program aimed at enhancing public health surveillance. She noted that, beginning in 2022, Russia would implement a network of automated border checkpoints designed to streamline health screening and information exchange for travelers arriving at border points, thereby reinforcing cross-border health security and rapid response capabilities.