Business news

MINSK, 4 January (BelTA) – In 2017 Russia remained a major trading and investment partner of Belarus, reads the Annual Review of Foreign Policy of the Republic of Belarus and Activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2017, BelTA has learned.

“2017, the year of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, was marked by intensive contacts at the highest and high levels, coherent inter-parliamentary and inter-governmental cooperation. The relations maintained a comprehensive momentum,” the document reads. “Russia remained a major trading and investment partner of Belarus. It accounted for more than half of the total foreign trade of Belarus. Belarus, in turn, was one of the top five trading partners of Russia,” the review noted.

The parties continued elaborating the joint measures to promote the removal of barriers in mutual trade, the liberalization of the economic environment for business entities. These approaches are reflected in the priority guidelines and top-priority tasks regarding the further development of the Union State of Belarus and Russia in 2018-2022.

The foreign ministries of Belarus and Russia traditionally closely coordinated their actions, thereby strengthening the positions of the two countries in the international arena. The main areas of this partnership are outlined in the next program of concerted action in foreign policy of the states parties to the Union State Treaty for 2018-2019. In accordance with the similar program implemented in 2016-2017, the foreign ministries conducted more than 20 consultations on various issues of interaction.

The interregional cooperation developed rapidly. Last year, Belarus hosted more than 80 delegations of Russian regions, eleven of them were headed by governors. The large-scale Fourth Forum of Regions was held in Moscow with the participation of the presidents of Belarus and Russia on 29-30 June. Its main theme was the expansion of cooperation in high technology and innovations.