Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives
MINSK, 4 June (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to become a full-fledged member of BRICS, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Sergei Rachkov said at the 1st meeting of the chairs of international affairs committees of the parliaments of BRICS nations titled “Strengthening BRICS trade in the current international situation” that was held during the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasília, BelTA has learned.
“At the current stage, Belarus' interaction with BRICS is determined by its status of a partner state, while our ultimate goal is obtaining full membership in the association. Belarus has always demonstrated its openness to partnerships and parliamentary diplomacy. Joint response to challenges is now more relevant than ever in the context of sanctions and economic turmoil. As one of the world's leading exporters of potash fertilizers, some food products, as well as agricultural machinery and technologies, Belarus is interested in building ties with BRICS member countries,” said Sergei Rachkov.
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which the Republic of Belarus is a member, is actively expanding trade and economic cooperation with BRICS countries based on existing agreements and memoranda, and through negotiations.
In 2025, Belarus presides over the EAEU. “The People's Republic of China is a key trading partner of the EAEU, it accounts for a significant part of the EAEU's trade with third countries; the trade with China is on the up and up. The interaction between the EAEU and China greatly benefits from the 2018 agreement on trade and economic cooperation. The most promising areas of cooperation include the digitalization of transport corridors, development of transport infrastructure and connectivity, cooperation in customs matters and in the manufacturing sector, elimination of trade barriers, and e-commerce,” the parliamentarian said.
“The cooperation between the EAEU and Iran is at an advanced stage. Thus, not so long ago, on 15 May 2025, the free trade agreement between the EAEU and Iran came into force to enable preferential trade terms for the signatories. Before this, a temporary agreement with limited commodity coverage had been in effect. Iran also has the status of an observer state in the union. We are currently working on the implementation of our agreements, with a focus on closer cooperation in manufacturing, agriculture and high-tech sectors of the economy. Special attention should be paid to infrastructure development, digitalization and efforts to increase the attractiveness of cargo transportation along the International North–South Transport Corridor, which connects the union with Iran, other Gulf countries and South Asia. Recently, the work on contracts and agreements with other BRICS countries has significantly intensified,” Sergei Rachkov emphasized.
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