Sustainability should be the main goal of the Eastern Partnership

Sustainability should be the main goal of the Eastern Partnership initiative, Belarus' Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said during a videoconference of the ministers of foreign affairs of the European Union's Eastern Partnership Initiative participating countries on 11 June, BelTA learned from the press service of the ministry.

“It is great that we can continue working on the future of the Eastern Partnership despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis has severely damaged the countries of the European Union and the Eastern Partnership, and Belarus mourns the loss of many lives. The pandemic has become a stress test for our societies and economies. We fully share the view that sustainability should be the main goal of the Eastern Partnership,” the minister said.

According to Vladimir Makei, Belarus highly appreciates the assistance offered by the European Union and its individual states. “We look forward to the first delivery of medicines from the EU and the deployment of other instruments of assistance, including via the EBRD and EIB. Let me hope that Belarus will also get the right to the EU macro-financial assistance as soon as the deal with the IMF is concluded,” he said.

The minister added that sustainability implies the development of trade relations, investment cooperation and access to markets. “Belarus counts on the EU support in the process of accession to the WTO. It is also important that the export certification of our food products is resumed as soon as possible, without any conditions,” the diplomat said.