MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) - Belarus and Syria intend to increase mutual trade, co-chairman of the Belarusian-Syrian commission on trade, economic and technical cooperation Dmitry Pantus said during a visit of the Belarusian delegation to Syria, BelTA has learned.
"The trade turnover between our countries is not so great, but we know what goods will help us to ramp it up, including those produced in Syria. We discussed how we would work and on what terms. We will do everything possible to further strengthen the interaction between our countries," said Dmitry Pantus.
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 of this year.
