MINSK, 18 October (BelTA) – Belarus plans to set up a production and logistics hub of its products in Equatorial Guinea, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Aleinik said at the first meeting of the Belarus-Equatorial Guinea joint intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation on 18 October, BelTA has learned.
The minister thanked the Equatorial Guinean side for sending a representative delegation, including the heads of many key ministries and agencies of Equatorial Guinea, to Minsk for a meeting of the joint commission, as well as for sending a list of the country's needs.
Equatorial Guinea identified agriculture and food security (supplies of machinery, equipment and food products, agricultural technologies, fertilizers, professional training of personnel), information technologies, healthcare, education, tourism, construction, development of services, small and medium-sized businesses, production facilities in wood processing as priority areas of cooperation. According to the minister, all the outlined areas correspond to Belarus’ potential, its competencies and opportunities. Now the parties have to transform them into concrete projects. Belarus is interested in supplying the Equatorial Guinea market and neighboring countries with agricultural machinery and equipment, cargo, passenger and special-purpose vehicles, haul trucks, optoelectronic products, multifunctional unmanned aerial and robotic systems. Belarus is also ready to develop closed-cycle enterprises for the production and processing of meat and dairy products, share experience in healthcare and pharmacology.
“Belarus views Equatorial Guinea as a gateway to West and Central Africa. At present, the parties are looking into an opportunity to set up a production and logistics hub of Belarusian products in Equatorial Guinea, which will be used, among other things, for supplies to the neighboring countries of Central and West Africa. We have such an agreement with our colleagues from Equatorial Guinea, and our common task is to implement this project,” Sergei Aleinik said. He also suggested using the opportunities and advantages of Belarus as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).