Kopyl regional executive committee

Belarus is ready to provide the most favorable investment conditions to Swiss business, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis 13 February, BelTA has learned.

Welcoming the foreign guest, the head of state remarked that Belarus is often called Eastern Switzerland. “I am not against this definition at all. Switzerland has achieved this favorable status worldwide thanks to its policy, immanent neutrality and exceptional honesty in relations with other states,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “However, there are certain differences. Belarus is a plain country covered with forests, rivers and lakes. One of the most attractive things for people in Switzerland is the availability of mountain resorts. Your country is a beauty with its mountains. Unfortunately, there are no such landscapes in Belarus.”

The president remarked that Belarus and Switzerland have always had good and kind relations. “But I think we still have room for progress, especially in our trade and economic relations. The economy is the main thing. We are ready to provide the most favorable investment conditions to Swiss business,” he stressed.

As a positive example of interaction between the two countries, Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned a decision to appoint the ambassador of Switzerland to Belarus and to open the Swiss embassy in Minsk. “This will be a good step in bolstering our cooperation,” the head of state said. “Your visit is very important and timely. And I am convinced that it will give an impetus to the enhancement of our cooperation.”

Political contacts between the two countries have been increasingly vibrant. In 2017, the first parliamentary group of friendship with Belarus was founded in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko visited Switzerland in 2018. The first deputy prime minister of Belarus and the chairman of the board of the National Bank visited Switzerland in 2019.

In May 2019, the Federal Council of Switzerland decided to raise the level of diplomatic service in Belarus. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Belarus Claude Altermatt presented credentials to the Belarusian head of state in September. The embassy of Switzerland will open in Minsk on 13 February.

As far as the trade and economic cooperation is concerned, a record increase in Belarus' export of goods and services, investment raising has been posted in recent years.

In 2019, Belarus-Switzerland trade reached $258.2 million and exceeded the level of 2018 by 38%. Belarus' export went up 34.7% to $40 million, import soared by almost 40% to exceed $218 million. Specific goods, car bodies, products from stone and other minerals, vegetables were among Belarus' major export items. Switzerland delivered electric transformers, rolling stock details, medications and medical equipment, base metal products to Belarus. Equipment for the modernization of the Belarusian manufacturing industry accounted for a major part of the import.

Switzerland is one of the top ten consumers of Belarusian services, especially transport, computer, telecom and information ones. It is noteworthy that the trade in services with this country is bigger than the trade in goods. The export of services to Switzerland increased by 30.5% to $180 million in January-November 2019.

Switzerland is also one of the top five investors in Belarus in terms of foreign direct investments on a net basis ($41 million in January-September 2019). There are 103 organizations with Swiss investments, including 37 joint ventures and 66 foreign companies, 39 representative offices, in Belarus.

Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich met with Cyril Muller, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, on 11 February, BelTA learned from the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The parties discussed promising avenues of cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the World Bank, the participation of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in China's Belt and Road initiative, and a possibility to introduce a common product traceability system in the union.

Mikhail Myasnikovich noted that the World Bank cooperates with all the members of the Eurasian Economic Union in the bilateral format, however a more vigorous cooperation with the union as such could generate much more economic benefits. He suggested recalibrating the cooperation format in order to implement infrastructure projects at the scale of the entire Eurasian Economic Union. “These projects should be very attractive and should encourage the countries to get involved,” Mikhail Myasnikovich noted.

“The parties agreed on new approaches to cooperation and on implementation of joint projects to promote the economies of the EAEU member states,” the press service informed.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with heads of the country's biggest state-run media outlets on 11 February, BelTA has learned.

Taking part in the meeting were Chairman of the National State Television and Radio Company Ivan Eismont, Chairman of the Board of the Second National TV Channel (ONT TV channel) Marat Markov, Director General of the STV TV channel Igor Lutsky, Director General of BelTA News Agency Irina Akulovich, Director – Editor-in-Chief of the Belarus Segodnya Publishing House Dmitry Zhuk, Director – Editor-in-Chief of the Zvyazda Publishing House Pavel Sukhorukov, Director of the National Branch (Office) of the Interstate Television and Radio Company Mir Vladimir Pertsov.

As of early 2020, there were over 1,600 print media outlets, 9 news agencies, 20 online media outlets and 270 television and radio broadcasters in Belarus.

Belarusian audience has access to more than 270 foreign cable channels and about 3,000 foreign print media outlets.

The Belarus-Egypt Business Cooperation Council is scheduled to convene for the first meeting in Egypt on 20 February, BelTA learned from the website of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI).

The council will discuss the issues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, prospects for expanding contacts between business communities, export and import of goods and services, and joint ventures. Belarusian participants will have an opportunity to hold talks with Egyptian businessmen on cooperation in various fields.

Promising areas include engineering, metalworking, petrochemicals, woodworking, light industry, agriculture, medicine and pharmaceuticals, information and communication technologies, logistics, tourism.

The possibility of holding the meeting in Egypt's new administrative capital is being considered.

The one-on-one talks with Russia President Vladimir Putin focused on a wide range of issues, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during broader negotiations involving members of the delegations in Sochi on 7 February, BelTA informs.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko is holding a meeting to discuss efforts to ensure the efficiency of the fuel and energy complex in the country on 6 February, BelTA has learned.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has extended greetings to the participants and guests of the 27th Minsk International Book Fair and the 6th International Symposium Writer and Time, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

Import substitution will be given an increased focus in Belarus, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he was inspecting Dobrush Paper Factory on 4 February, BelTA has learned.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko named two reasons why he was happy with the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State to Minsk at the meeting with Michael Pompeo on 1 February, BelTA has learned.

Cooperation of the working bodies of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Secretariat of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly in legislation matters was discussed at a meeting between CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas and Executive Secretary – Head of the Secretariat of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Sergei Pospelov, BelTA learned from CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov.