Minsk has always formed the portfolio of its initiatives in the CIS with an eye on the economic vector. The voice of Belarus has been heard on a number of important documents.
Belarus takes initiatives for the comprehensive strengthening of the CIS on a regular basis. And it is worth noting here that we are among the leaders in terms of the number of signed and ratified documents. It is logical that Minsk, where the CIS headquarters is located, is unofficially considered the capital of the Commonwealth.
The Belarusian side has presided over the organization three times and quite successfully coped with this honorable mission. The last time was two years ago, when the efforts were aimed at intensifying economic cooperation between the countries to, among other things, overcome the consequences of Covid-19.
The year 2021 clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of concerted action. Mutual trade between the states grew by more than a quarter, and exports also increased significantly. None of the Commonwealth countries allowed GDP to fall, and in the CIS as a whole it increased by 4.4%. Accordingly, the growth of the economies had a positive impact on the labor market and reduced the unemployment rate.
Within the framework of the Belarusian presidency, the process on the agreement on free trade in services, which had been underway for more than ten years, was accelerated. As a result, the document was signed in June.
