Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 27 November (BelTA) – Belarus and Venezuela are developing a comprehensive roadmap for cooperation in the near- and long-term perspective, First Deputy Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said at the second Venezuelan-Belarusian forum "Achievements and prospects of bilateral relations between Belarus and Venezuela" held in Minsk on 27 November, BelTA has learnt.

The program document will be reviewed at a session of bilateral Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in the first quarter of 2014 and then will be submitted for approval to the presidents of the two countries.

The roadmap outlines the main areas of cooperation in construction, petrochemistry, machine building including tractor construction, gasification, science, education, etc. “The cooperation areas are many: from agriculture to space exploration,” Vladimir Semashko said. He believes that the new cooperation program will foster economic development of the two countries and improve the well-being of Belarusian and Venezuelan citizens.

In 2012 the Belarus-Venezuela mutual trade made up over $0.5 billion. The countries closely cooperate within the framework of the intergovernmental commission. Belarus and Venezuela have set up joint enterprises in the fields of oil and gas production, seismic survey and geological exploration, construction, assembling of trucks and tractors, and agriculture. The political cooperation between the countries is also intensively developing.