MINSK, 4 February (BelTA) – Given the economic difficulties the CIS countries need to join efforts in the financial and economic areas, Chairman of the Executive Committee, CIS Executive Secretary Sergei Lebedev said after a meeting with Belarus Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov, BelTA has learned.
"In view of the difficult economic situation in the world, the sanctions on Russia, weakening national currencies, it is evident that we need to join efforts in the financial and economic areas in the Commonwealth of Independent States," Sergei Lebedev said.
According to him, this is obvious and requires more frequent and effective meetings, business discussions and search for solutions to the problems.
Sergei Lebedev said that at a meeting with Andrei Kobyakov they discussed economic cooperation between the CIS countries this year. He noted that the economic agenda in the CIS is quite packed, and there are a lot of activities in this regard. "For us it is very important because Belarus has always played an active role in economic cooperation," said Sergei Lebedev.
He noted that the next forum "Minsk Business Meetings" due in autumn this year was also discussed at the meeting. The closest economic event is the Moscow International Economic Forum, which is traditionally held in March in the run-up to the CIS Economic Council. "We hope that Belarus will be adequately represented at this forum," said the Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee.
Another topic of the meeting was the preparation for the session of the CIS Council of Heads of Government due in Bishkek in late May. "The agenda will be intense and meaningful. Taking into account the instructions of our heads of state and government to streamline the CIS activities we want to make sure that the meeting is businesslike and productive,” he said.
“We also talked about an autumn meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government. Belarus would like to see the council an effective body because it determines the main areas of economic cooperation in the CIS,” Sergei Lebedev added.
