Events

MINSK, 7 May (BelTA) - The fourth meeting of the joint committee on cooperation between the Government of Belarus and the UAE Government was held in the |united Arab Emirates (UAE) on 6-7 May. The meeting was held under the co-chairmanship of Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash of the United Arab Emirates, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus.

The parties had a substantive discussion of a wide range of issues of the Belarusian-UAE cooperation in trade, economic, investment and banking sectors, agriculture, advanced technology, science, education, culture, sports, tourism and health, and the ways to enhance cooperation between the law enforcement agencies and chambers of commerce of Belarus and UAE. The current meeting of the joint committee became the most representative in terms of participants and in terms of the topics discussed. The meeting of the joint committee was attended by more than 30 members of the Belarusian delegation representing various ministries, departments and enterprises, and about 80 representatives of the UAE.

Following the meeting the parties signed the documents to expand the legal framework of the bilateral cooperation: the agreement between the governments of Belarus and the UAE on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters, a memorandum of understanding between Belarus’ Emergencies Ministry and the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) on cooperation in prevention and response to emergencies, a memorandum of understanding between the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, an executive program to implement the intergovernmental agreement to promote cooperation in mass media in 2018-2022 and a memorandum of understanding between the National Center for Marketing and Price Study and the agency Dubai Exports. At the session of the joint committee, Belarus and the UAE reached a number of specific agreements. In particular, they agreed on the forms of veterinary certificates for milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, as well as honey and a broad assortment of ready-made food products.

The parties agreed to arrange a visit of representatives of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology to Belarus to carry out evaluation of Belarusian companies that seek to obtain permissions to supply beef and poultry to the UAE.

Direct contacts were established between educational institutions and research centers of the two countries. Agreements were reached in the field of information technologies, artificial intelligence, biotechnologies, and vocational training.

Negotiations were held to arrange the Days of Belarusian Culture in the UAE in September-October 2018 and to invite and encourage performance groups of the two countries to take part in these events. The parties also discussed ways to boost cooperation in sport and tourism, as well as between law enforcement agencies. Agreements were reached to translate cooperation prospects into specific events that are to be held till the end of 2018. The UAE showed considerable interest in establishing cooperation in the field of healthcare provision.

On the sidelines of the joint committee, the UAE Ministry of Health signed agreements with the Belarusian Pediatric Surgery Center, the Cardiology Research Center, the Neurology and Neurosurgery Center, City Hospital No.9. Under the documents Belarusian specialists will organize master classes, provide treatment services and conduct surgeries.

Belarus’ Emergencies Minister Vladimir Vashchenko and Chairman of the State Customs Committee Yury Senko held talks with their UAE counterparts to outline ways for the implementation of the documents signed at the meeting.

Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei held talks with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, UAE Federal Minister and member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Chairman and CEO of DP World Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO of Jebel Ali Free Zone Mohammed Al Muallem, and UAE businessmen.

The participants of the meetings discussed practical issues of the implementation of projects in trade, economic and investment cooperation.

In 2017, Belarus and the UAE registered a new record in bilateral trade. The UAE net investment in Belarus more than doubled. In Q1 2018 the Belarusian export in the UAE soared 60% as compared to the same period last year.