BelCCI Head: Africa is Belarus’ promising partner, mutually beneficial co-operation needs to be developed
Africa is a promising partner with whom it is possible and necessary to build long-term mutually beneficial co-operation – as stated by the Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mikhail Myatlikov, at the recently held Africa: Legal Nuances of Doing Business international forum, sb.by reports
As noted by Mr. Myatlikov, the recent event was the first one held by the BelCCI on the topic of co-operation between Belarus and the countries of the African continent. “As noted by the President of Belarus, Africa is among the key focuses in our foreign policy, and it is a priority foreign economic vector. Life itself has inspired us to take a closer look at the African continent, its potential and opportunities for co-operation. Actually, we are not just observing how it is progressing: we are talking now about a qualitative breakthrough in the development of trade and economic relations with African countries and ensuring the growth of exports of Belarusian goods and services to Africa,” he said.
The BelCCI Head noted that, according to the International Monetary Fund, six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are African, and the average annual growth rate of Africa’s GDP in the current decade is four percent.
“Everyone recognises the tremendous, though underdeveloped, agricultural potential: Africa accounts for 65 percent of the world's arable land and about 10 percent of domestic renewable freshwater sources,” Mr. Myatlikov said. “The figures show that Africa is now a promising partner with whom it is possible and necessary to co-operate. Our country already has certain potential for this.”
In the first six months of this year, Belarusian exports to African countries increased 4-fold against the same period in 2023. “That was a direct result of a series of top-level visits to African states last year and in 2024. It is important to maintain and increase the dynamics. The African market is now generating steady demand for food, equipment and agricultural machinery, mineral products, chemical industry goods, and metals,” the BelCCI Head stressed.
Mr. Myatlikov noted the importance of working for the future, saying that it is necessary to move away from simple trade in favour of investment and industrial co-operation, “As elsewhere, African governments want foreign partners not only to sell them goods. They are interested in the ‘grounding’ of capital, in the construction of turnkey production facilities in their countries. It is in this case that a party can reasonably count on long-term preferences through participation in state programmes and public procurement.”
According to him, in addition to the supply of goods, partnership in the service sector needs to be developed. “About 2,000 young Africans study in Belarus at present. Belarusian universities are able to train specialists of various profiles – such as doctors or engineers, for example – for African states. Upon returning home, these specialists will actually be Belarus’ representatives in their countries,” Mr. Myatlikov explained.
The BelCCI Head added that Belarusian business has all the opportunities, experience and desire to gain a foothold on the African continent.
