A two-day Belarus-Africa forum held recently in Minsk, Belarus with the theme “New Frontiers”was organised to seek economic partnership between Africa and Belarus.
Nigeria’s media personnel, Wofai Samuel, engaged ministers and other top dignitaries on the role of the public sector in promoting economic and trade relationships that supports the African and Belarusian businesses.
Valentin Rybakov, Vice Minister for foreign affairs of Belarus, said that the country believed that the time had come to enhance relations with Africa and identified the areas of common interest to include agriculture, land development, industrialization and public development.
He further stressed that with the increased Belarusian focus on Africa, the country’s trade with the continent had grown from almost no value a few years ago to current annual figures running into millions of dollars.
Also speaking, Mr. Dmitry Korchik, Vice Minister of Industry of the Republic of Belarus said Africa has benefited from various trade agreements including the economic partnership agreement stressing that african growth and opportunity would enhance regional trade between the two trading blocks.
The event which was organized by the Development Bank of Belarus, African Export-Import Bank and the Government of Belarus