MINSK, 23 July (BelTA) - On 23 July, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summed up the results of the annual seminar for heads of the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Belarus. The meeting attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei reviewed the foreign policy and foreign economic policy and outlined the near-term goals of Belarusian diplomacy and a range of urgent tasks to be addressed, BelTA learned from the ministry's press service.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Makei detailed the key aspects of promoting cooperation with the main partners of Belarus in the bilateral and regional formats, highlighted the most promising areas for multilateral cooperation in international organizations and in integration associations. “Trade and economy remain high on the agenda in the face of massive sanctions and toughening global competition. Belarusian diplomatic missions will stay focused on increasing the efficiency of foreign economic activity, countering aggressive discriminatory measures, improving the structure of exports of goods and services, expanding the distribution network of Belarusian enterprises,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.
In this context, special attention was paid to traditional partners, including the EAEU, and new niches in distant markets. The increasing importance of the information and analytical work of Belarusian diplomatic missions was also discussed during the meeting. The ministry pointed to disproportionately high influence of certain information events, mostly artificially created ones, on the development of interstate relations and the formation of the intersubjective reality that has nothing to do with the real state of things in a number of matters.
Diplomats are determined to make the most of the groundwork they have laid to promote cooperation on matters that are global in nature and affect all international actors. In particular, focus will be placed on promotion of such Belarusian initiatives as combating human trafficking, cooperation between middle-income countries, promotion of the Digital Neighborhood Belt, and also cooperation to implement universal international documents, such as the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The agenda of the meeting also included matters regarding the Belarusian diaspora, comprehensive support and assistance to Belarusians living abroad who have found themselves in a difficult situation, ways to improve response of Belarusian diplomats abroad to extraordinary situations on the international agenda, Belarus' upcoming presidency in the CSTO, interaction with other countries regarding the operation of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, and other matters.
During the week-long seminar, the heads of Belarusian diplomatic missions visited the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange, the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation, and the Stadler Minsk enterprise. They also met with representatives of ministries and other government agencies as well as held individual consultations with heads of government agencies and top managers of exporting companies.
As BelTA has reported, the event kicked off with a meeting with the Belarusian president.
