MINSK, 7 July (BelTA) - Belarus has always been interested in cooperation with Brazil, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov told BelTA after the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Maksim Ryzhenkov stressed that Belarus sees Brazil as a reliable and predictable global political player, advocating the resolution of international disputes through diplomacy and negotiations.
“Although we are located on different continents, we are united by common interests, values and the desire to build a more just and multipolar world without wars and conflicts. The positions of our countries coincide on the most pressing problems of our time, including the need to reform the UN and its most important institutions, the fight against international terrorism. The common approaches allow us to build a strong and constructive political interaction,” the diplomat said.
The embassies in Minsk and Brasilia have been deployed and are actively working. Ministries and departments, legislative bodies, parties and public organizations exchange visits.
This year, the BRICS events chaired by Brazil contribute to the intensification of bilateral political contacts. Following these events a number of agreements were reached to exchange visits this year, which will contribute to strengthening bilateral relations.
“The economic interests of our countries are a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation. Brazil is traditionally one of our top ten trading partners. Belarus is one of the main producers of potash fertilizers in the world, Brazil is one of the main consumers of this product,” the diplomat said.
Western sanctions against Belarus have hit not only the country itself, but also Brazilian agriculture, which provides food for many regions of the world.
“I am glad that together we managed to find a way out of this situation and resume deliveries of strategic products to Brazil. I believe that it is important to continue working together towards building a stable logistics and payment system to ensure a reliable food and fertilizer supply chain. We are aware that potash fertilizers will remain Belarus’ major export item to Brazil. We can also supply other products, which, in our opinion, can be in demand in the Brazilian market. These are electric transport, synthetic threads, fabrics, and modern IT technologies. We hope that we will be able to establish mutually beneficial and long-term cooperation in all these areas,” the foreign minister said.
By the way, earlier Belarus supplied Brazil with a wide range of petrochemical products, including petroleum products, threads, fabrics, polymers, fiberglass, and insecticides. Belarus also shipped tires, farm machines, rolled metal products, X-ray equipment and even agricultural products – Belarusian malt.
“The range of supplies can be very diverse and sometimes not obvious. Regarding agriculture, Belarus has the necessary technologies and production capabilities to contribute to Brazil’s state programs to provide small tractors to private farmers and family farms, including the creation of assembly plants and service centers in the country. Now such work is underway, I hope for its successful completion and the appearance of Belarusian agricultural machinery in the fields of Brazil,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
Despite being a small country (smaller than the territory of the State of Goiás), Belarus had sufficient manufacturing capabilities and modern technologies to ensure its own food security and to export products to 110 countries, the minister added.
Brazil also has important developments in the agricultural sector, which allow it to be one of the world’s major agricultural suppliers.
“I believe that both countries would be interested in exchanging best practices in the field of plant and animal breeding, pest control, automation of agriculture and precise farming for practical purposes,” the diplomat said.
Belarus also sees IT as an important area of cooperation. Belarus is one of the centers of software development, including in the field of artificial intelligence. Its companies have established partnerships around the world: Eurasian Economic Union, Asia, the EU, Latin America, and the United States. Most developers in Belarus are members of the Hi-Tech Park, which provides them with preferential conditions for doing business.
“The establishment of working cooperation with similar organizations in Brazil will enable us to launch joint projects and start-ups,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
Belarus and Brazil are considering ways to balance bilateral trade. Possibilities are being considered to rap up the supply of Brazilian agricultural products to Belarus and through it to the markets of the EAEU countries.
Efforts are being made to strengthen ties with the regions. Thus, cooperation agreements were signed between Minsk Oblast and the State of Goyas, between Mogilev Oblast and the State of Ceara. Work is underway to establish twinning relations between the two capitals.
“Cooperation between Belarus and Brazil in education and science has a great promise. A number of cooperation agreements have been signed between the universities of the two countries. The last one was concluded less than a month ago between the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno and the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro. Thus the parties will develop cooperation in the exchange of students, academic staff, joint educational and research programs. But most importantly, Belarusian students and teachers have the opportunity to get acquainted with Brazil, and their Brazilian colleagues - with Belarus,” the Belarusian minister noted.
According to him, Belarusians would like to learn more about the history, culture, traditions, natural and tourist diversity of Brazil, a place familiar to many Belarusians since childhood thanks to books, films and TV series.
Maksim Ryzhenkov welcomed the growing cooperation between youth organizations of the two countries. Following the participation of the Belarusian delegation in the BRICS Youth Forum, an agreement on cooperation between the youth unions of Brazil and Belarus was signed. The minister called this an important step forward, since the establishment of strong and friendly relations between active youth of our countries is the basis for the development of friendly relations between the countries in the future.
“Establishment of strong friendly ties between workers’ organizations, women’s associations and other public organizations of the two countries will serve the same goal,” the diplomat said. “I am optimistic about the prospects for the Belarusian-Brazilian relations and believe that there are good reasons for this. We have many plans to strengthen bilateral cooperation, and we just need to put them into practice. Belarus will do its best to see to it.”
Maksim Ryzhenkov stressed that Belarus sees Brazil as a reliable and predictable global political player, advocating the resolution of international disputes through diplomacy and negotiations.
“Although we are located on different continents, we are united by common interests, values and the desire to build a more just and multipolar world without wars and conflicts. The positions of our countries coincide on the most pressing problems of our time, including the need to reform the UN and its most important institutions, the fight against international terrorism. The common approaches allow us to build a strong and constructive political interaction,” the diplomat said.
The embassies in Minsk and Brasilia have been deployed and are actively working. Ministries and departments, legislative bodies, parties and public organizations exchange visits.
This year, the BRICS events chaired by Brazil contribute to the intensification of bilateral political contacts. Following these events a number of agreements were reached to exchange visits this year, which will contribute to strengthening bilateral relations.
“The economic interests of our countries are a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation. Brazil is traditionally one of our top ten trading partners. Belarus is one of the main producers of potash fertilizers in the world, Brazil is one of the main consumers of this product,” the diplomat said.
Western sanctions against Belarus have hit not only the country itself, but also Brazilian agriculture, which provides food for many regions of the world.
“I am glad that together we managed to find a way out of this situation and resume deliveries of strategic products to Brazil. I believe that it is important to continue working together towards building a stable logistics and payment system to ensure a reliable food and fertilizer supply chain. We are aware that potash fertilizers will remain Belarus’ major export item to Brazil. We can also supply other products, which, in our opinion, can be in demand in the Brazilian market. These are electric transport, synthetic threads, fabrics, and modern IT technologies. We hope that we will be able to establish mutually beneficial and long-term cooperation in all these areas,” the foreign minister said.
By the way, earlier Belarus supplied Brazil with a wide range of petrochemical products, including petroleum products, threads, fabrics, polymers, fiberglass, and insecticides. Belarus also shipped tires, farm machines, rolled metal products, X-ray equipment and even agricultural products – Belarusian malt.
“The range of supplies can be very diverse and sometimes not obvious. Regarding agriculture, Belarus has the necessary technologies and production capabilities to contribute to Brazil’s state programs to provide small tractors to private farmers and family farms, including the creation of assembly plants and service centers in the country. Now such work is underway, I hope for its successful completion and the appearance of Belarusian agricultural machinery in the fields of Brazil,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
Despite being a small country (smaller than the territory of the State of Goiás), Belarus had sufficient manufacturing capabilities and modern technologies to ensure its own food security and to export products to 110 countries, the minister added.
Brazil also has important developments in the agricultural sector, which allow it to be one of the world’s major agricultural suppliers.
“I believe that both countries would be interested in exchanging best practices in the field of plant and animal breeding, pest control, automation of agriculture and precise farming for practical purposes,” the diplomat said.
Belarus also sees IT as an important area of cooperation. Belarus is one of the centers of software development, including in the field of artificial intelligence. Its companies have established partnerships around the world: Eurasian Economic Union, Asia, the EU, Latin America, and the United States. Most developers in Belarus are members of the Hi-Tech Park, which provides them with preferential conditions for doing business.
“The establishment of working cooperation with similar organizations in Brazil will enable us to launch joint projects and start-ups,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
Belarus and Brazil are considering ways to balance bilateral trade. Possibilities are being considered to rap up the supply of Brazilian agricultural products to Belarus and through it to the markets of the EAEU countries.
Efforts are being made to strengthen ties with the regions. Thus, cooperation agreements were signed between Minsk Oblast and the State of Goyas, between Mogilev Oblast and the State of Ceara. Work is underway to establish twinning relations between the two capitals.
“Cooperation between Belarus and Brazil in education and science has a great promise. A number of cooperation agreements have been signed between the universities of the two countries. The last one was concluded less than a month ago between the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno and the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro. Thus the parties will develop cooperation in the exchange of students, academic staff, joint educational and research programs. But most importantly, Belarusian students and teachers have the opportunity to get acquainted with Brazil, and their Brazilian colleagues - with Belarus,” the Belarusian minister noted.
According to him, Belarusians would like to learn more about the history, culture, traditions, natural and tourist diversity of Brazil, a place familiar to many Belarusians since childhood thanks to books, films and TV series.
Maksim Ryzhenkov welcomed the growing cooperation between youth organizations of the two countries. Following the participation of the Belarusian delegation in the BRICS Youth Forum, an agreement on cooperation between the youth unions of Brazil and Belarus was signed. The minister called this an important step forward, since the establishment of strong and friendly relations between active youth of our countries is the basis for the development of friendly relations between the countries in the future.
“Establishment of strong friendly ties between workers’ organizations, women’s associations and other public organizations of the two countries will serve the same goal,” the diplomat said. “I am optimistic about the prospects for the Belarusian-Brazilian relations and believe that there are good reasons for this. We have many plans to strengthen bilateral cooperation, and we just need to put them into practice. Belarus will do its best to see to it.”
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