Belarus is interested in selling agribusiness products and agricultural machines to Pakistan. Co-chairman of the Belarus-Pakistan trade and economic cooperation commission, Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich made the statement at a session of the commission on 12 January, BelTA has learned.
Viktor Karankevich said: “Belarus and Pakistan are connected by many years of friendly relations, which are based on principles of respect and mutual trust. Our states maintain a regular political dialogue. The necessary legal base has been formed. Trade, economic, and humanitarian ties are developing. Constructive cooperation is being implemented on platforms of international organizations and integration associations. Top-level meetings gave a tangible impulse to stronger bilateral partnership. Belarus views Pakistan as an important political, trade, and economic partner in South Asia and highly appreciates the ties that have evolved between our countries. We are interested in their further reinforcement.”
However, Belarus-Pakistan trade is below the existing potential. “I believe today we will be able to discuss additional measures, which would contribute to more active promotion of joint projects. The agenda of the commission's session includes the most promising avenues for our countries: production sector, agriculture, pharmaceutics, science, and education. It is far from a full list of the areas where our partnership could succeed. In particular, Belarus is interested in supplying Pakistan with passenger vehicles, municipal vehicles, agricultural machines, mining machines, agribusiness and textile industry products. Our cooperation in forestry industry, pharmaceutics, microelectronics, nanotechnologies could be mutually beneficial,” the Belarusian energy minister noted.
The Belarusian side suggested stepping up bilateral interaction by increasing the trade turnover and by stepping up investment cooperation. Viktor Karankevich stressed the two countries have good prospects for transition from simple trade to manufacturing cooperation, to the establishment of joint enterprises in spheres of mutual interest. Belarus is ready to enable the necessary comfortable conditions for the Pakistani private sector for the sake of growth and possible further expansion onto markets of the Eurasian Economic Union member states.
Regional cooperation can become another important direction for expanding Belarus-Pakistan cooperation. “A number of agreements and memorandums between regions and cities of our countries have been signed. We suggest stepping up the work and revising the relevant approaches if necessary,” Viktor Karankevich added.
