MINSK, 31 May (BelTA) - More than 170 Belarusian companies are taking part in the second Belarusian-African economic forum, Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI) Vladimir Ulakhovich said at the opening ceremony of the event on 31 May, BelTA has learned.
“More than 170 Belarusian companies have shown interest in talks with partners from African countries. It is a great honor and responsibility for the BelCCI to be a co-organizer of this forum, because our main mission is to assist the Belarusian business in developing foreign economic relations and all our partners from different countries in establishing contacts and implementing joint mutually beneficial projects. All our services are focused on supporting these ties, and we will readily provide all our opportunities both to Belarusian enterprises and our foreign partners, in this very case from African countries,” the BelCCI head said.
Vladimir Ulakhovich added that the BelCCI has positive and constructive experience of interaction with partners from different African countries. “We have agreements and memoranda of cooperation with 13 partner structures in 13 African states. Over the past two and a half years we have held 37 joint events with partners from 23 states. Recently, we have been holding big events online,” he said.
According to Vladimir Ulakhovich, today's forum is a unique chance for Belarusian business to learn more about the opportunities and the potential of African countries. The most important thing is the opportunity to hold negotiations, and I am sure that they will bring concrete economic results in the future. Inevitably, our cooperation will continue, both because of Africa's growing importance for the development of the global economy and because of our mutual desire to develop our cooperation, which this forum confirms," he said.
Minsk is hosting the second Belarusian-African Economic Forum on 31 May-1 June. On behalf of Belarus the forum is attended by representatives of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries, the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus, and the country's export-oriented enterprises from the heavy, light, and food industries, agriculture, mining, and other sectors. All in all, 170 companies have sent their representatives for the forum.
On behalf of African countries the forum is attended by the deputy foreign minister of Mozambique, heads and representatives of embassies of African countries in Belarus, honorary consuls of African countries in Minsk, and the heads of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce and Union of African Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Professions. All in all, the forum has drawn representatives of 14 African states.
Photos by Pavel Orlovsky
