MOSCOW, 25 September (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on the sidelines of the the World Atomic Week forum in Moscow on 25 September, BelTA has learned.
“It’s good that we have met. There is a lot to discuss, especially when it comes to shaping the future. The agenda for our bilateral relations is rather extensive. We’ve identified the areas where we can and must cooperate. We understand what Ethiopia needs, and we have it. Just as we clearly know what Belarus needs, and Ethiopia has it. We need to deepen cooperation and increase our trade, because our economies are capable of that,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “In terms of trade and economic relations, I want to publicly state that no topic is off-limits for us: we can cooperate in all sectors, including agriculture, food production, the establishment of joint ventures in Ethiopia, and military-technical cooperation. We’re ready to work with you across all areas where we have expertise.”
The president proposed that Belarus and Ethiopia develop a cooperation roadmap by the end of the year. “We should outline not only the areas of cooperation, but also specific targets: from overall trade to the number of units of equipment and machinery Belarus plans to provide, and vice versa, Ethiopia’s deliveries to Belarus,” he emphasized.
He assured that the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is prepared to promptly carry out this work and draft an action plan for the coming years.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also invited Abiy Ahmed Ali to visit Belarus to explore relevant industries and areas of interest. “We won’t hide anything from you,” the president added.
In turn, the Ethiopian prime minister remarked: “We would like to strengthen our cooperation in trade and the economy. There are several areas where we can work together. One such area is agriculture. We know Belarus has strong tractor manufacturing, and joint production could benefit not only Ethiopia, but the entire East African region.”
He also named construction as another key area. Ethiopia is willing to engage in joint production of construction equipment, with a focus on markets in third countries.
"We are also fully aware of your expertise in the military-technical sector and the support you can provide to our country," Abiy Ahmed Ali added.
Previously, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Abiy Ahmed Ali met during the BRICS summit in Kazan in October last year. At that time, the Belarusian leader reaffirmed Belarus’ readiness to actively develop cooperation and share technologies necessary for Ethiopia.
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