Events

KHARTOUM, 17 January (BelTA) – Belarus and Sudan will work out a roadmap to enhance bilateral cooperation with the focus on practical results, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said during the extended negotiations with Sudan President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir in Khartoum on 17 January, BelTA has learned.

“We have agreed that when working on the roadmap of our cooperation, our action plan, the ministers of the two countries will submit at least 3-5 proposals for the signing of contracts in the near future,” the President said.

“Our strategic cooperation should be focused on practical results. It will not go beyond the talk stage without trade and economic projects. There should be concrete results,” Alexander Lukashenko underlined.

“The first thing I promised the President of Sudan is that we have always been responsible people. If we come to an agreement, we will do our best to implement these agreements in a prompt and efficient way,” the Belarusian leader said.

Sudan will also step up efforts to set up many production facilities with the participation of Belarus on the territory of Sudan.

“We will not just set up joint ventures, deliver our equipment and other goods to Sudan. We should teach Sudanese people to operate our equipment and share our best practices with them,” Alexander Lukashenko added.

He noted that Sudan cannot develop without the construction industry. In this context, the President suggested building brick factories and cement plants in Sudan, delivering equipment to this country just like it is done is Venezuela.

Belarus is ready to take part in the programs to develop industries in Sudan. “Sudanese and Belarusian people will have to do a lot. Mr. President, Belarus is ready to provide assistance to Sudan,” the head of state remarked.

Alexander Lukashenko said that at the negotiations the presidents gave an instruction to work out the scheme of mutual payments between the two countries to promote the development of beneficial cooperation.

“We can do everything. Impossible is nothing. You have what we need, we have what you need. We are ready to move in this direction,” the President noted.

In his remarks for the mass media representatives after the talks, Alexander Lukashenko stressed that Sudan is a reliable partner in Africa for Belarus. “President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir and I had productive negotiations. We discussed our future goals, the ways to advance our cooperation to a brand-new strategic level. We have discussed the prospects and major priorities of developing the Belarusian-Sudanese relations, determined concrete steps to expand them. Economic issues were in the spotlight too,” the head of state said.

Belarus is ready to become a strategic partner to promote the interests of Sudanese manufacturers in the vast territories of Europe and Asia. At the negotiations the sides emphasized the importance of deepening contacts in the humanitarian field, including education, healthcare, and science. Cooperation in the international arena was discussed.

“Our countries are united by the commitment to mutual respect and equal cooperation with absolutely all partners, the resolution to protect the right to independently choose a development model,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

“I am grateful for the invitation to visit your beautiful and courageous country which has withstood such pressure from certain forces. The country has not only withstood this pressure, it is developing now,” the Belarusian leader stressed.