Events

Lukashenko outlines Belarus’ approach to cooperation with Africa, distant countries

MINSK, 15 June (BelTA) – In an interview with the Al Arabiya TV channel, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko explained the philosophy and priorities guiding Belarus’ cooperation with Africa and distant countries, BelTA has learned.

One of the questions addressed to the president concerned global changes and the growing role of China and the Global South. The head of state noted that Belarus has long and consistently been building relations with distant countries, and therefore sees no need to adjust its foreign policy line in response to current global shifts. The previously chosen course toward rapprochement has proven correct and is already delivering positive results.

“We don’t need to readjust anything. God encouraged us to build good relations with China (our second ally after Russia),” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

According to the president, Belarus is successfully developing cooperation with many countries in South and Southeast Asia. “We have good relations with Vietnam, Myanmar. With Indonesia (I will soon be visiting it) we have built decent relations: we sell there, and they request our technologies,” the Belarusian leader said, giving several examples. Active work is underway with India, although the full potential of bilateral cooperation with this major country has not yet been unlocked, he added.

“We have always had good relations with North Africa (Egypt, Libya). We are building good relations with Algeria. So, with North Africa,” the head of state continued, turning to the African continent.

“Zimbabwe, in southeastern Africa, is our entry point to the African continent. Recently we reached agreements with Ghana, we trade with them. In the future we have contracts to expand trade, and Ghana is already our western entry point to the African continent,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Oman is helping us build relations with Tanzania. We have decent relations with Kenya.”

“So we don’t need to reformat anything. We were fortunate. Perhaps intuitively, but we identified these points long ago. The main thing now is to intensify cooperation with these states. They treat us well, they accept us,” the president emphasized. “This entire reorientation helped us overcome sanctions pressure relatively successfully. We feel confident.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko also explained the key to Belarus’ successful advancement in cooperation with African countries, despite Belarus not possessing vast resources or a large market. “Because we do not go there as colonizers, and we do not go with the idea of ‘Belarus first’, like some do with ‘America first’,” he said. “We go to Africa thinking that Zimbabwe comes first, Ghana comes first, Algeria… Africa comes first. And we do not just trade with them, supplying our machinery, we transfer our technologies and, most importantly, we train their people.”

“With this philosophy we go to Africa, and they welcome us,” the president concluded.