MINSK, 15 February (BelTA) - The Republic of Guinea is looking forward to developing cooperation with Belarus, following the example of Equatorial Guinea, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Guinea to the Russian Federation and concurrently to the Republic of Belarus Niankoye Haba told the media after the ceremony of presenting the credentials to the Belarusian head of state, BelTA has learned.
"The Republic of Guinea has similar climatic and natural conditions [with Equatorial Guinea]. What you are doing in Equatorial Guinea will fit our side too. We sincerely believe that we will find understanding on the part of our Belarusian friends," the ambassador said.
He stressed that today African countries need development, honest, fair relations and sincere assistance if Africa is to get off the ground. "We very much hope for cooperation between the Republic of Guinea and Belarus. We have planned to work together and establish close relations at the level of the leadership of the two countries in order to advance cooperation for the benefit of our peoples," Ambassador Niankoye Haba said.
During the ceremony Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that Africa has recently become one of the main focuses of Belarus’ foreign policy. According to him, Belarus is now actively establishing its economic foothold in this continent and expanding its diplomatic presence. “Having a certain experience of effective work in this region, we are ready to use it in the Republic of Guinea,” the president said. “The main drivers of cooperation are projects in trade and economy, primarily agricultural mechanization, joint extraction of minerals, infrastructure development, primary healthcare.”
As BelTA reported earlier, in 2023 the relations between Belarus and Equatorial Guinea gained momentum. In addition to meetings at the level of various ministries and agencies, highest-level talks were held in Minsk and then in Malabo with the participation of the heads of state. A roadmap for the development of cooperation was signed during Aleksandr Lukashenko's visit to Equatorial Guinea in December 2023. It has been developed in response to the needs of the Equatorial Guinea and is comprehensive. The document covers 15 key areas of cooperation, including cooperation projects, the supply of Belarusian equipment and the organization of its maintenance, the agricultural sector, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and the sale of medical equipment, and forestry. The roadmap is designed for 2024-2026.
