NUCLEAR POWER IN BELARUS AND WORLDWIDE
MOSCOW, 15 May (BelTA) – Belarus is among the five largest trading partners of Russia and it ranks first among the CIS countries, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in connection with the official visit to Russia of Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Aleinik on 15-17 May, BelTA informs.
“Belarus is consistently among the five biggest trading partners of Russia and it ranks first among the CIS nations. In 2022, the two countries posted a record high bilateral trade of $43.4 billion ($45.7 billion according to Belarusian statistics). In the first quarter of 2023, Russia's trade with Belarus increased by 18.7% year-on-year reaching $10.6 billion, of which Russian exports stood at $4.8 billion (down by 8.8%), and imports were estimated at $5.8 billion (up by 57.9%),” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Russian foreign ministry also noted that interregional cooperation is an important part of bilateral relations. It helps promote trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties. In 2022, 98 delegations from Belarusian regions visited Russia, and 82 Russian delegations visited Belarus, more than 20 of the delegations were led by heads of regions and 20 by deputy heads of regions of the Russian Federation.
“A significant contribution to untapping the potential of interregional cooperation is made by the annual forum of regions held alternately in Belarus and Russia since 2014 under the chairmanship of the heads of the upper houses of parliaments. The 9th edition of the Forum of Regions was held in Grodno on 30 June – 1 July 2022. It was themed around the role of interregional integration processes in the Union State. The forum gathered about a thousand delegates from all over Belarus and more than 40 Russian regions. Attending the event were governors, their deputies and heads of legislative assemblies. The total amount of contracts penned at the forum was estimated at about $ 1 billion, up by $200 million compared with 2021. This year the forum will be held in Ufa on 26-28 June,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
