Opinions & Interviews

Speaking about how Belarus could contribute to the SCO, Vladimir Makei stressed that Belarus is not going to be “a passenger”. “We are ready to actively participate in the work of the SCO in all dimensions of the organization, to become a participant and, where possible, an initiator of the projects to promote economic, scientific and humanitarian cooperation.

According to him, Belarus has something to offer in the field of ensuring security, countering terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and organized crime. Belarus’ best practices in this area have already received recognition from the international community, and Belarus is ready to become a reliable western link in the SCO to counteract contemporary threats and challenges in a comprehensive way.

Belarus would like to cooperate within the framework of the regional anti-terrorist structure of the SCO, establish regular interaction and coordination between the secretariats of security councils, participate in the agreements to develop transport corridors, in the mechanisms to promote cooperation in science and technology, finance, education, tourism, Internet platforms facilitating exchange and trade, and in a number of other areas.

“We seek to take an active part in the economic dimension of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The Republic of Belarus has well-developed capacities in industry, agriculture, information and communication technologies, education, healthcare, investment and innovation cooperation,” the head of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Belarus seeks to take advantage of the SCO business platforms to attract interested partners to the Great Stone Industrial Park which should be one of the anchor points of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

Belarus also sees prospects for increased collaboration within the framework of the SCO-EEU and would like to involve the ASEAN partners in these processes.

Vladimir Makei believes that new opportunities can open up for the countries of the “Shanghai family” after Belarus’ accession to the agreement between the SCO Member States on the development of the favorable conditions for international road transport as of 12 September 2014. “The inclusion of the road routes passing through Belarus into the draft program for the development of roads in the SCO can be mutually beneficial,” he said.

“In general, our potential as a stable, successfully developing country at the junction of the SCO-EU and a member of the Eurasian Economic Union is obvious. I am sure it might be of interest to our partners, both in the East and the West,” the minister added.