MOSCOW, 28 June (BelTA) – Belarus can sell a broad selection of goods to Latin America countries but exporters will have to work for it. Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Evgeny Shestakov made the statement at the Belarus-Latin America Forum held in the Business and Cultural Complex of the Embassy of Belarus in Russia in Moscow on 28 June, BelTA has learned.
Evgeny Shestakov said: “Realizing the stance outlined by the head of state and government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively organizing the promotion of our trade and economic interests to remote markets. Certainly, the term covers virtually the entire world, this is why we are working together with a subordinate body of the ministry – the National Center for Marketing – on arranging so-called regional seminars and using a unique opportunity – a very large number of embassies are accredited to Moscow with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Belarus – Latin America ones, Asian ones, and African ones. We arrange forums based on their interests. They primarily offer an opportunity to directly present our capabilities, capabilities of our economy, hear their desire, find out what they want, what goods they want to sell on our market because trade cannot be unilateral. Trade is always successful when it is mutually beneficial and balanced.”
The official noted that a similar forum for African countries had already been held in Minsk. “For many ambassadors it is also an opportunity to make acquaintances, get to know the Republic of Belarus because it is necessary to take into account remoteness and regional orientation of Latin America: it is absolutely self-sufficient in many matters,” Evgeny Shestakov pointed out. “This is why our job is to find our niche on these rich but complicated markets, which are fully saturated, which have existed for a long time and have a powerful northern neighbor that can persistently promote its interests in this region.”
Evgeny Shestakov stressed that Belarus is ready to sell a very large selection of products on markets of Latin America. “No doubt, we are interested as much as possible in promoting our complicated technical products – products made by mechanical engineering industry, scientific sector starting with tomographic scanners and ending with parts and engines for existing automobiles and tractors,” he remarked. “We are ready to develop the transport, urbanistic component – primarily urban transport. But I'll repeat it is a very difficult process, which requires certain investments on the part of our exporters among other things because you cannot sell without creating a service. This is why we've brought our main exporters to this forum. They are ready to talk about what they can do on these markets and how they want to go about it.”
The forum gathered representatives of Latin American embassies in Belarus and Russia. Those were ambassadors, heads of diplomatic missions and other diplomats from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Ecuador, and El Salvador.
During the forum Director of the National Center for Marketing Nikolai Borisevich made a presentation of Belarus' trade and economic opportunities and proposals to Latin American partners. Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim Vladimir Sizov briefed the forum participants about the export potential of the Belarusian petrochemical industry. Anatoly Grinevich, Deputy Head of the Central Office for Foreign Economic Relations at the Industry Ministry, spoke about capabilities of the Belarusian industrial sector. Kirill Yermolovich, Head of the Marketing Strategy, Domestic Sales and Export Office at the holding company Belpharmprom, made a presentation of the Belarusian pharmaceutical industry.
The Belarus-Latin America Forum was organized by the National Center for Marketing in association with the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
