While strengthening relations with distant countries, Belarus does not close the door to its Western neighbors, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov said at the board meeting to review the ministry’s performance in 2025 on 11 March. The meeting is attended by Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin, BelTA has learned.
The minister emphasized the importance of a qualitative shift in Belarus’ presence in distant countries.
“Our work with the states of the Global South has moved from the level of political dialogue to concrete cooperation. Belarus’ full-fledged participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and its active engagement in the BRICS+ format have opened up new opportunities for our businesses,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said.
He noted that China remains Belarus’ strategic partner among other distant countries. The minister also welcomed the fact that cooperation with India is expanding across all key areas.
The minister emphasized: “We see that demand for Belarusian expertise and technologies continues to grow steadily across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Over the past year, we have completely dispelled the myth that no one is waiting for us there. On the contrary: partners in these regions are actively seeking contacts and cooperation with us.”
“In 2025, Belarus increased its exports to Africa to $670 million. Belarusian exports to Latin America grew by almost one and a half times (144%) and by one third to the Asian countries (133%),” he stressed. At the same time, Maxim Ryzhenkov noted that, unfortunately, due to objective reasons, the figures for the Middle East have declined, and their future dynamics will depend on the situation in the region, which is currently developing under an extremely negative scenario.
“While strengthening our ties with distant countries, we are not closing the door to our Western neighbors. Minsk’s position remains unchanged: we stand for pragmatic dialogue, but only on equal terms, not in the language of ultimatums,” he concluded.
In addition to the main report delivered by the minister of foreign affairs, presentations will be heard from several ambassadors, the industry and economy ministers, as well as the director of the National Tourism Agency, given the importance of this topic. A presentation by the management of the Orsha Flax Mill is also planned.
Invited to the event are heads of sectoral government bodies, state corporations, the National Bank, Belarusian Statistical Committee, oblast executive committees, and the Minsk City Hall.
The meeting’s results will be summed up by the prime minister, who will also focus on the tasks for 2026.
