MINSK, 24 November (BelTA) - Syrian partners are interested in our best practices, skills and technologies, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Syria Yuri Sluka said during the visit of the Belarusian delegation to Syria on 24 November, BelTA has learned.
“Both the head of our government and that of the Syrian Arab Republic stressed that the most urgent task for us today is to develop trade and economic relations as quickly and extensively as possible. We see niches that correspond to our capabilities. On Belarus' side, the first priority is to provide technical assistance to restore the Syrian economy and infrastructure after a decade of devastating war,” said Yuri Sluka.
According to him, Belarus has a lot to offer to its Syrian friends. “The parties have agreed to determine specific mechanisms for the implementation of common ideas aimed at the development of cooperation. The embassy is fully engaged in this work. We are in daily working contact with our Syrian counterparts, relevant ministries, agencies, general directorates on specific issues as well as ways to implement interaction projects,” said the ambassador.
The agenda also includes issues related to cooperation in humanitarian affairs, science and technology. “In general, it is a wide range of issues. Our Syrian partners are genuinely interested in our best practices, skills, and technologies. We appreciate it very much,” the diplomat stressed.
“In general, we have mutual intention to work together for the benefit of our countries. We are looking for all possible mechanisms to intensify interaction,” the Belarusian ambassador to Syria stressed.
Trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Syria is developing in the difficult conditions of economic sanctions against Syria, the destruction of transport and social infrastructure, the acute shortage of financial resources of the Syrian government and a decrease in the purchasing power of the country's population. In 2021, the trade between Belarus and Syria amounted to $8.2 million (up by 41.3% year-on-year), exports totaled $7.6 million (up by 47.9%), imports - $0.6 million (up by 6.1%). Belarus had a surplus of $7.0 million.
Belarus' major exports to Syria are defense and security products, milk powder, whey, medicines, tractors and truck tractors. The country's imports are olive oil, fruits and vegetables, nuts, coffee. There is also a joint Belarusian-Syrian commission on trade, economic and technical cooperation, the meeting of which was last held in January 2022.
