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“We are setting an ambitious task to increase the trade between Belarus and the African countries to $3 billion by 2020,” he stressed.

Benedict Oramah noted that a big number of representatives of the authorities and business from the African countries have shown an interest in the first Belarusian-African forum. “The delegation has comprised representatives of the government bodies, several ministers of the African countries, business and bank representatives. We can see a serious interest,” he explained.

Speaking about the major areas of cooperation, the chairman of the board of the African Export–Import Bank stressed that Africa first of all sees a potential in developing cooperation in the infrastructure and agriculture sectors. “We are interested in your equipment, including mine trucks, agricultural vehicles and buses. We hope that Belarus will also show an interest in our products. Africa is a serious source of some of raw materials and agricultural products such as cacao, for instance. We also see the prospects in mutual investment in our regions,” he said.

The first Belarusian-African forum is held on 6-7 June as part of the Belarusian agro-industrial week Belagro 2017. Taking part in the forum are the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus and the African Export–Import Bank. The event is aimed at promoting cooperation in the agricultural and industrial sectors. The number of participants from the African countries exceeded 70 representatives, including the agriculture ministers of Angola, Namibia and Uganda, the industry minister of Angola, the finance minister of Togo, the leadership of the African Export–Import Bank, other banking structures of Africa, the president of the National African Farmers Union, representatives of Africa’s biggest companies.