Press releases

On 22 March Georgia will host three Belarus-related events: the Georgian-Belarusian business forum, Alexander Lukashenko’s official visit and the Minsk Days in Tbilisi on 21-23 March.

Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Giorgi Margvelashvili are expected to discuss the current state and prospects of the trade and economic cooperation. They will also talk over the diversification and intensification of product deliveries, development of production cooperation, joint enterprises, cooperation in science, education and medicine, transport and logistics, and implementation of infrastructure projects.

The two heads of state will also discuss political cooperation, international contacts, the situation in the world and in the region.

Bilateral cooperation will top the agenda of the high-level talks. Over the past three years the two countries have made great progress in increasing mutual trade. In 2017, the bilateral trade reached $93.5 million. Belarus’ export made up $74 million. Taking into account the turnover of services, the total figure reached $112 million, a record-high figure in the trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Georgia.

A number of projects have been announced On the eve of the visit. For example, an joint plant was opened in Tbilisi to assemble Belarusian lift equipment, which has good prospects for growth.

There is interest in new supplies of Belarusian equipment, mainly grain harvesters, tractors and attachments, to Georgia.

The supplies of Belarusian food products to the Georgian market are on the rise. Stores with Belarusian products open in Tbilisi and other cities.

The Georgian Partnership Foundation has set up a company that will supply Georgian wines, grapes, dried fruits, and other products to Belarus. An area of 1,200 square meters has been selected in Minsk for the new company.

As for the agro-industrial sector, the parties are discussing the prospects for setting up a pedigree livestock center and a potato selection center in Georgia.

The Development Bank, together with Georgian partners, is ready to allocate funds for the development of a number of specific areas of cooperation between the two countries.

The agenda of the talks will include bilateral trade and alternative ways to deliver goods and products. The two presidents are set to sign a number of international documents in the trade, economic, and humanitarian cooperation, including such areas as healthcare, education, the banking sector and regional cooperation.

The Georgian-Belarusian business forum will precede the program of Alexander Lukashenko’s official visit.

The Belarusian business delegation arrived in Tbilisi the day before and has already held a number of productive meetings, including the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Rusy and Minsk Mayor Andrei Shorets.

The participants of the business forum will have an opportunity to establish contacts and discuss prospects for expanding cooperation with Georgian partners in the fields of industrial production and machine building, agriculture, petrochemistry, energy and electrical engineering, construction and development of infrastructure, transport and tourism, pharmaceuticals and medicine, light industry, woodworking, information technologies, financial services, export-import operations.　

Belarus will present its trade, economic, industrial, investment, and tourism potential. The program will include an exhibition of products of Minsk producers: Kommunarka, Confectionery Factory Slodych, Minsk Kristall, Minskhlebprom, Belita, Vitex, MAZ, Amkodor, and MTZ.

Belkommunmash and the Tbilisi transport company are expected to sign a memorandum on the delivery of electric buses to Tbilisi and Batumi.

The participants of the business forum are set to sign bilateral commercial contracts and agreements, discuss logistics and the use of financial tools to promote exports.

The Minsk Days in Tbilisi envisage a business program on 22 March. A gala-concert will take place at the Rustaveli National Theater in Tbilisi. The concert will feature the Belarus Presidential Orchestra and famous singers.

The photo exhibition "A Portrait of Minsk" will also be part of the program. The exhibition will showcase the photos of the old and modern city, its cultural, social, political and sports achievements, and the ones depicting the friendship between Minsk and Tbilisi. The exhibition developed by the Minsk History Museum also includes works of Minsk-Novosti and BelTA photo correspondents.

The program will also include a chess tournament and a football friendly.