The Congress, as an active member of the Contact Group on Cooperation with Belarusian Democratic Forces and Civil Society, implements activities aimed at promoting democratic values in line with the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. A specific focus is placed on the key role of local authorities to promote and uphold human rights, and engage with women, youth, and under-represented groups.

In November 2023, the Congress gathered in Strasbourg a group of activists from diverse political affiliations, carefully selected with representatives of the Contact Group on Cooperation with Belarusian Democratic Forces and Civil Society, for a first peer exchange on the principles and standards needed to establish an efficient local self-government system.

The Congress has been entrusted to implement activities in 2024–2025 focusing on political support to the Belarusian democratic forces and on the provision of capacity development and expertise to support the preparation of reforms and related legislation on local democracy, good governance and decentralisation of power, based on the principles enshrined in the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

In January 2024, Congress members attended the Helsinki Dialogue, and in March 2024, the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Congress at its 46th plenary session.

In late 2024, Congress experts reviewed the “Local Self-Government Concept for a New Belarus” prepared by the Belarusian democratic forces and organised a series of online workshops to discuss about concepts and principles of local self-government, dimensions of decentralisation, and transition stages toward a free and democratic Belarus.
 

 Find out more about the activities of the Council of Europe with the Contact Group on Belarus