Expert sheds light on Belarus’ participation in integration projects
Belarus and Russia have signed 28 Union State programmes aimed at deepening of economic integration. Most work dealing with their implementation have taken place in 2022, and 60 percent of them had been completed by the time of Vladimir Putin's visit to Minsk in December. According to political expert Piotr Petrovsky, in this way, the countries are refusing the use of the US Dollar in their settlement transactions.
“The outgoing year has had both internal and external challenges for military-political co-operation in the post-Soviet space: unrest in Kazakhstan in January, skirmishes on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, the special military operation in Ukraine, the aggravation of the situation in Karabakh in September. All this was in the focus of the CSTO, the chairmanship in which is passing on to Belarus in 2023. One of the most challengeable issues that need a joint response is that Western special services have intensified their activities in the post-Soviet space, trying to inspire destabilisation in Transcaucasia and Central Asia, while training extremists in Poland and Ukraine from among the fugitives,” Mr. Petrovsky said.
According to the expert, the Eurasian Economic Union also faces specific tasks – such as countering sanctions pressure and industrial co-operation. “Despite all the difficulties, the EAEU has withstood the tests and expanded contacts between the countries. In particular, Uzbekistan – which is an observer in the organisation – has joined the implementation of part of the EAEU projects and agreements,” he noted.
As a result of the EAEU activity, the trade turnover within the organisation increased by 12.8 percent from January-October 2022. For Belarus, the EAEU is one of the instruments that guarantee the stable promotion of its exports, the removal of all barriers and restrictions between the countries of the Union, the creation of equal economic conditions, primarily through mechanisms for the formation of a single energy market, and the accelerated industrial development.
“A humanitarian aspect of co-operation is traditionally implemented through the CIS institutions, and preservation of the historical memory plays an important role here. This year has been held under the banner of celebrating the centenary of the USSR, which became a milestone for the post-Soviet space. Several dozen events in the sphere of science, culture, education, and history have been organised in the CIS,” Mr. Petrovsky said.
As noted by the expert, Belarus applied for the status of a full member of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation at the summit in Samarkand. In the Asian region, the SCO not only helps settle a number of border disputes, but also demonstrates new approaches to economic liaisons. The Shanghai spirit of co-operation is manifested in mutual respect and consideration of the interests of all participants of the organisation. Experts note that the experience of the Union State of Belarus and Russia may act as a model for further integration between the SCO countries.
