Business news

Belarusian PM: Time for more ambitious projects with Syria

MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) - Time has come for more serious joint projects with Syria, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said during a meeting with Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous in Damascus on 23 November, BeltA has learned.

At the beginning of the meeting, Roman Golovchenko noted that Belarusian people are closely watching and empathizing with the Syrians in their struggle for independence and freedom. “By this visit, we, too, demonstrate political support for Syria. Over the past difficult years for Syria, we stood by you. We did not severe economic ties, provided humanitarian assistance and with great pleasure hosted Syrian children for rehabilitation. Today time has come for more serious joint projects," the Belarusian prime minister said.

Trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Syria is developing in the difficult conditions of economic sanctions against Syria, the destruction of transport and social infrastructure, the acute shortage of financial resources of the Syrian government and a decrease in the purchasing power of the country's population. In 2021, the trade between Belarus and Syria amounted to $8.2 million (up by 41.3% year-on-year), exports totaled $7.6 million (up by 47.9%), imports - $0.6 million (up by 6.1%). Belarus had a surplus of $7.0 million. Belarus’ major exports to Syria are defense and security products, milk powder, whey, medicines, tractors and truck tractors. The country’s imports are olive oil, fruits and vegetables, nuts, coffee. There is also a joint Belarusian-Syrian commission on trade, economic and technical cooperation, the meeting of which was last held in January of this year.

print version

make home page

add to bookmarks