The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus will now perform the functions of the reference organization in charge of organizational and methodological support for the International Association of Academies of Sciences (IAAS). The decision was taken on August 9, 2017 at the meeting of the NASB Presidium. In accordance with the decision, Chairman of the NASB Presidium Vladimir Gusakov was appointed new IAAS president, and the responsibilities of the reference organization were transferred to the NASB.

The participation of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus in the work of the IAAS as a reference organization will enhance role of Belarus in the world and will help to establish new mutually beneficial contacts in the sciences.

The International Association of Academies of Sciences was established in 1993 by the joint decision of the academies of sciences of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Vietnam, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and Czechia. It aims to coordinate the researchers’ work and to promote the search for solutions to social development problems; to strengthen cooperation in fundamental research; to harmonize the research policies of academies of sciences; to support the most promising studies; to facilitate the joint use of unique expensive equipment. The IAAS was headed by President of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences Boris Paton, and Ukraine was the IAAS reference organization. In accordance with Resolution № 269 of the IAAS Council, now Vladimir Gusakov and the NASB will perform these functions.