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Belarus trades with over 200 countries, exports to 160 states
MINSK, 6 March (BelTA) - Belarus trades with more than 200 countries and territories and exports to 160 states, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Aleinik said at the ministerial board meeting on 6 March, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The minister considers it very important that Belarus has built a system of protecting and strengthening national positions in the international arena, developing cooperation with time-tested and new partners, expanding export opportunities with a focus on diversification. Belarus trades with more than 200 countries and territories, and exports to 160 states.
In 2023, Belarus continued to build up relations with Russia, its closest ally and partner, both on the bilateral track and within the framework of the Union State. “A record level and effectiveness of contacts have been achieved, especially along the lines of the heads of state and government. Twenty-eight Union State programs, as well as the program of coordinated actions in foreign policy have been implemented in full. Impressive figures have been achieved in trade and exports,” Sergei Aleinik said.
According to him, the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership with China has received a serious political and economic impetus, primarily thanks to contacts at the highest level. “We are working on their continuation and further development,” the minister said.
Belarus’ chairmanship in the CSTO was a success. The country's active position in the EAEU and CIS made it possible to implement a number of initiatives to develop these associations further.
"Within the framework of the task set by the head of state to comprehensively strengthen bilateral ties in the post-Soviet space, we continued the work on the adoption of joint strategic documents - roadmaps with a focus on trade and economy. Such documents have already been signed with Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and recently with Uzbekistan. The draft roadmap with Kyrgyzstan is on the home stretch," the minister said.
He also highlighted the intensification of relations with the geographically distant countries. The key events were the visits of the Belarusian president to China, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, the visit of the prime minister to Vietnam. "Now we are transforming agreements into concrete projects with high economic returns," the minister informed.
Cooperation with the countries of the Global South in the multilateral format had advanced significantly, Sergei Aleinik noted. "The most important, one could say, historic process of Belarus' accession to the SCO has been brought to the final stage. Our country's accession to BRICS has been initiated. We have continued systemic work to intensify cooperation with ASEAN, including through the promotion of Belarus' application to join the Bali Treaty. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the initiative by the head of state to align the EAEU-SCO-BRICS," the minister cited a number of examples.
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