Belarus and Angola ready to develop strategic partnership

26 июня 2017

By Ksenia Rabchinskaya: Belarus’ and Angola’s readiness to develop strategic partnership was discussed at today’s meeting between the Belarusian President and the Angolan Foreign Minister. Belarus intends to increase its presence on the African continent, including with the help of Angola. Africa needs equipment to build roads, hospitals and schools, and Belarus can share its experiences, technologies and equipment.

With Belarus-Angola diplomatic relations established 22 years ago, bilateral contacts were rather episodic until 2012. In 2015, Angola’s capital Luanda hosted the first round of political consultations at the level of the deputy foreign ministers. A year later, the countries’ foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Today’s meeting is expected to become the starting point in intensifying the dialogue. The countries plant to set up joint assembly plants and are interested in expanding cooperation in the military-industrial complex and the mining industry.

As pointed out at today’s meeting, the potential has not been fully unlocked. The countries are currently working on a contractual legal framework. Besides, bilateral trade volumes are increasing dramatically. Last year, the figure amounted to over 40 million dollars and has already exceeded 30 million over the first four months. The main export items are potash fertilizers, agricultural machinery and tires.

Mining and exporting oil makes up 85% of Angola’s GDP, and Belarus is ready to share its experience in the sphere.

One of the key subjects negotiated in the Palace of Independence was setting up assembly plants for tractors or the entire range of Belarusian mechanical engineering classics in Angola with the possibility of entering the markets of other African countries. Moreover, Belarus is interested in expanding cooperation with the African continent’s countries.

Belarus is ready to provide Angola with mining industry equipment and share its experience in agriculture and housing construction.

All the common interest areas were also discussed at today’s meeting in the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. According to Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, the parties have agreed to prepare and implement specific projects in a number of trade and economic cooperation areas and organize meetings of experts in the financial, agricultural, industrial and other spheres.

The countries’ mutual interest was pointed out by Speaker of the House of Representatives Vladimir Andreichenko at a meeting in the Parliament.