Azerbaijan And Belarus Forge New Paths In Economic And Industrial Collaboration

On October 3, Prime Minister Ali Asadov of Azerbaijan met with his Belarusian counterpart, Roman Golovchenko, during an official visit to Minsk. The meeting aimed to further strengthen the Azerbaijan-Belarus partnership, which has seen dynamic development across various sectors, Azernews reports.

According to the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, discussions began in a limited format before expanding to include both countries' delegations. The meeting underscored the high level of interstate relations, driven by the close contacts and efforts of the presidents of both nations. Special attention was given to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's state visit to Azerbaijan in May 2023, which laid the groundwork for continued cooperation.

Economic and trade collaboration was a key focus of the talks, with a notable 39 percent increase in bilateral trade volume over the first eight months of the year. Both sides expressed confidence in maintaining this positive trend.

The discussions highlighted industrial cooperation as a critical area of focus, with an emphasis on the long-standing collaboration between Azerbaijan's Ganja Automobile Plant and Belarusian machine-building enterprises. Progress in fields such as agriculture, agro-town projects in Azerbaijan's liberated territories, vocational education, and health care were also praised.

The parties acknowledged the potential for deepening ties in transport and transit, alongside the traditional strength of cultural-humanitarian cooperation. Both sides expressed satisfaction with cultural, scientific, and youth exchanges, as well as progress in educational collaboration.

Additionally, interregional cooperation was noted as an important avenue for growth, exemplified by the signing of sister-city agreements between cities in both countries during the Belarusian president's recent visit to Azerbaijan.

Tourism was identified as a sector with great potential for development, with both governments committed to enhancing collaboration.

Concluding the meeting, several agreements were signed, including projects focused on agricultural development in Azerbaijan's Aghdam region, cooperation in health care, the design of an agro-town in Kizil Kangarli, and the supply of firefighting equipment.

These discussions signal a commitment to expanding economic, industrial, and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Belarus, with both sides eager to work on mutually beneficial projects.

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