MINSK, 5 October (BelTA) – Belarus and the Republic of South Africa have a potential to expand inter-parliamentary, trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation. The matter was dicussed at a meeting between Deputy Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic Marianna Shchetkina and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of South Africa to Russia with concurrent accreditation to Belarus Nomasonto Maria Sibanda-Thusi, BelTA learned from the upper house of the Belarusian parliament.
According to Marianna Shchetkina, relations with the Republic of South Africa are among the priorities of Belarus' foreign policy on the continent. “The countries have everything necessary to significantly increase mutual trade, develop industrial and agricultural cooperation,” said the vice speaker. She stressed that Belarus is ready to share technologies and secure the development of joint machine-building enterprises in South Africa.
Ambassador Nomasonto Maria Sibanda-Thusi expressed interest in the development of interregional cooperation and exchange of experience in agriculture and manufacturing industry. “We need to develop partnership. South Africa could learn a lot from Belarus,” she said.
The parties also discussed gender parity and the role of women's organizations in empowering women in the two countries. Marianna Shchetkina briefed the Ambassador on the activities of the Belarusian Union of Women, which she chairs. She noted that women's diplomacy serves as a good tool to address various issues, to share best practices. The parties expressed their willingness to establish cooperation between women's organizations of Belarus and the Republic of South Africa.
