Expert explained how co-operation between Belarus and Africa will develop in 2024

In 2023, the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, visited Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea and Kenya, and Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik later informed that those visits gave a new impetus to the development of Belarus’ co-operation with Africa

In his talk with Alfa Radio, the Dean of the Journalism Department at the Belarusian State University, Aleksei Belyaev noted, “Belarus has never tried to focus on just one region: it co-operates with Russia, the CIS, European states, and countries of the far arc. The niche of interaction with the countries of the collective West has narrowed because of the West itself, but Belarus has opened up other opportunities – shifting its political and foreign economic efforts to the African continent.”

The expert added that the processes that are currently taking place in Africa demonstrate that the states there are awakening from the tyranny generated by a colonial oppression. “Last year, we could observe how the French interests were being ousted from Africa. There was a trend of pressing the European countries and the United States out of there,” he said. “At present, China, Russia and Belarus are present on the continent, and our country has the opportunity to offer [mutually beneficial co-operation] to African states. Belarus’ President made breakthrough visits to a number of African countries in 2023, and following him – Belarusian diplomats, businessmen, representatives of various spheres went there to conclude agreements on co-operation in trade, industrial production, and so on.”

Mr. Belyaev noted that Belarus plans to supply agricultural machinery to Africa, since it is much needed there, “Our country even offers to create joint ventures there, not just bring equipment. Belarus proposes to establish maintenance facilities and launch production. It has opportunities in the construction industry and is ready to share not only goods, but also technologies, to create joint companies and service centres on mutually beneficial terms. Belarusians are going there not only seriously and for long, but also with open hearts and without negative historical memories.”