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EAEU, SCO, BRICS seen as key associations for Belarus

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MOSCOW, 12 September (BelTA) – The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are the key associations for Belarus. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Dmitry Krutoi mentioned it during the session held as part of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on 12 September to discuss EAEU-BRICS’s role in forming a new multipolar world, BelTA has learned.

Dmitry Krutoi said: “They are genuine macroregions in the near future. These organizations have absolutely clear goals and a very similar philosophy – equal participation. Over the course of ten years of participation in the Eurasian Economic Union Belarus has never felt any discrimination or harassment. Absolute consensus, the ability to speak up, equal rights, partnership, accommodation of interests, respect for these interests, non-interference in the economic policy the countries pursue. These are very important principles that, in my opinion, the global North lacks if I can call it that.”

The ambassador reminded that Belarus stood at the origins of the Eurasian Economic Union. “It was our choice unaffected by short-term thinking. We are one of the founding countries. Belarus started moving towards the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2010 as a dialogue partner. We will formalize genuine membership soon. Indeed, Belarus was in the first wave of the countries, which declared their intention to become a member of expanding BRICS. With Russia’s support we hope that our application will be accepted in the next wave, so to say,” the ambassador remarked.

Speaking about the advancement of cooperation of the associations, Dmitry Krutoi suggested preserving a permanent high level of political mutual relations: “It is important to always maintain a high political level – agreements, meetings of the leaders of our countries. They are very important. Going back to our president’s idea about a joint summit of the EAEU, SCO, and BRICS, I think it could make serious integration decisions and secure a certain breakthrough in the development of the integration concept if the summit happens.”

Apart from that, the ambassador is convinced that the Eurasian Economic Union’s experience with lifting the internal trade barriers should be used in the course of advancing economic interaction with other associations. “Mutual trade between EAEU and BRICS countries went up by 40% within only one year even amid crazy sanctions, which have been enforced against Russia and Belarus. And BRICS’s share in the total trade turnover of the Eurasian Economic Union has already exceeded 30%. These are two very important figures. But in order to increase these figures, we certainly have to very promptly and systemically evaluate all the factors that stand in the way of mutual trade in goods and services now and we have to work out the mechanisms we can use to overcome these factors,” the official said.

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