Kopyl regional executive committee

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko will take part in the 8th Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus on 28 February, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The congress has drawn more than 500 delegates from all the regions of the country and from all walks of life. Among the delegates are the country's high-ranking officials, heads of ministries, government agencies, public associations, mass media outlets, as well as foreign participants.

The head of state is expected to deliver a speech where he will discuss the role and achievements of the trade union movement of Belarus and will give his take on the proposed initiatives and pending issues.

The 8th Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus is taking place in Minsk on 27-28 February. On 27 February the participants of the forum took stock of their work over the past five years and discussed the draft action program of the Federation of Trade Unions for 2020-2025. At present the Federation of Trade Unions has more than 4 million members and is one of the country's biggest public associations.

Belarus' participation in the EU's Eastern Partnership (EaP) initiative was discussed at a meeting between Belarus' Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleg Kravchenko and a delegation of the European Parliament led by First Vice Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Belarus Valdemar Tomasevski on 26 February, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The parties discussed a wide range of issues related to the Belarusian-European cooperation, Belarus' participation in the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative, and the prospects of the project,” the press service said.

The parties exchanged opinions on Belarus' key areas of cooperation with a number of the world's leading countries, and regional security.

Belarus-Uzbekistan trade soared more than 1.5 times to exceed $239 million in 2019, BelTA learned from the Belarusian embassy in Uzbekistan.

The Belarusian government delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister, co-chairman of the joint intergovernmental commission on cooperation with Uzbekistan Vladimir Dvornik is on a visit to Tashkent. The delegation includes the heads of the Industry Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Ministry, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Belgospischeprom, Belcoopsoyuz, oblast executive committees, and also about 150 representatives of enterprises - exporters of agricultural and food products, scientific and educational institutions of the agro-industrial complex of Belarus.

The delegation is taking part in the First Belarus-Uzbekistan Agrarian Forum. The program of the event will feature talks, thematic sections and presentations, and visits to Uzbek enterprises. Agreements and contracts are expected to be signed at the end of the forum. “Uzbekistan is a promising trade and economic partner of Belarus in the Central Asian region. In 2019, the bilateral trade exceeded $239 million (up more than 1.5 times). These are record-high figures in the history of economic relations between the two countries,” the embassy said.

Agricultural produce and food products are among the most important positions in mutual trade. In 2019, Belarus exported $35 million worth of agricultural products and processed products to Uzbekistan. The volume of Uzbekistan's agricultural products supplied to Belarus exceeded $15 million.

Apart from mutual supplies, the promising areas of cooperation in the agricultural sector also include Belarus' participation in the construction of dairy farms, milk processing, setting up of a joint venture to produce veterinary drugs, cooperation in breeding, training and retraining of Uzbek specialists at the Belarusian agricultural educational institutions.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has sent greetings to Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crowned Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as the country celebrates National Day, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The head of state emphasized the interest in expanding comprehensive cooperation. “I am convinced that there is a considerable potential for the development of Belarus-Kuwait relations which we can jointly realize for the sake of prosperity of both states, security and further progress,” the message of

On behalf of Belarusian people and himself President Aleksandr Lukashenko has extended birthday greetings to Emperor Naruhito of Japan, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The head of state noted that bilateral cooperation has great potential, in particular in trade, manufacturing, investment and technology. People of the two countries can discover the beauty and diversity of Belarus and Japan through cooperation in sport, culture and tourism.

“I am confident that with your support the friendship and multifaceted contacts between Minsk and Tokyo will keep growing stronger,” the president noted.

Belarus remains greatly interested in direct contacts with Russian regions, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Governor of Arkhangelsk Oblast of Russia Igor Orlov on 21 February, BelTA has learned.

“We remain deeply interested in direct contacts with Russian regions,” the head of state said.

In 2019, Belarus-Arkhangelsk Oblast trade totaled $45.8 million. Belarus' exports to the Russian region reached $22.9 million. The imports made up the same. Belarus' main exports included beef and poultry, concrete, cement and artificial stone products, sugar, vehicles, spare parts and other goods. Belarus purchased paper, cardboard, ferrous scrap, wood pulp and wool from Arkhangelsk Oblast.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has sent greetings to the staff of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno as it marks its 80th anniversary, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

The success of the university is attributed to the team's efforts to preserve the best traditions of Belarusian education, constant improvement and novel approaches, the head of state noted.

“Today the university is by right called one of the country's best higher learning institutions. It is a regional hub for research, innovations and creativity. Its high status and good international standing are due to professional achievements of many generations of graduates,” the message reads.

The president expressed confidence that professional excellence and dedication of the staff, talent and thirst for knowledge of students will always serve the strategic goals of the country, namely the intellectual growth of the nation, training of specialists with a strategic mindset and determination to work for the benefit of Belarus.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko is heading to Egypt on an official visit. The plane with the Belarusian head of state onboard has departed Minsk National Airport, BelTA has learned.

On 19 February, Aleksandr Lukashenko will hold talks with Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo. The heads of state will review progress in implementing the agreements reached during the visit of the Egyptian leader to Minsk in summer 2019, as well as cooperation prospects in trade, economy and humanitarian affairs. The presidents will also discuss cooperation on the international arena, regional and global security. The talks are expected to result in a package of bilateral documents.

Aleksandr Lukashenko is set to have a series of meetings. Together with his Egyptian counterpart he will go on a tour to Egypt's new administrative capital located 45km to the east of Cairo. The facility will be hosting an exhibition of Belarusian-Egyptian research projects, advanced technology, high-tech products and large-size equipment.

A session of the Belarus-Egypt Business Cooperation Council will be held on the sidelines of the visit.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko will pay an official visit to Egypt on 19-20 February, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.

In Cairo Aleksandr Lukashenko will hold talks with Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The heads of state will review progress in implementing the agreements reached during the visit of the Egyptian leader to Minsk in the summer of 2019, as well as cooperation prospects in trade, economy and humanitarian affairs.

“The presidents will discuss cooperation on the international arena, regional and global security. The talks are expected to result in a package of bilateral documents,” the press service noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko is set to have a series of meetings. Together with his Egyptian counterpart he will go on a tour to Egypt's new administrative capital located 45km to the east of Cairo.

A session of the Belarus-Egypt Business Cooperation Council will be held on the sidelines of the visit.

The number of challenges and threats on the Belarusian border is not reduced year after year, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he approved the resolution concerning the protection of the state border in 2020 on 17 February, BelTA informs. Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked that border security is a priority of the state policy. 

Therefore, the resolution on the protection of the state border is approved by the president every year. “Unfortunately, the number of challenges and threats on the Belarusian border is not reduced year after year,” the head of state said. In his words, flows of illegal migration, drug trafficking and other criminal activities are increasing. 

“There is an escalation of military activities on the other side of our border. Belarus has never threatened anyone and will never threaten anyone in the sphere of the economy or the military sphere,” the president said. “Speaking about the economy, I mean recent statements and an avalanche of criticism towards Belarus from Russia. They say that we allegedly threaten either to stop the delivery of oil to the west or to take oil from the transit pipeline for our oil refineries.”  

Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that an agreement on the delivery of 24 million tonnes of oil had been officially approved between Belarus and Russia. That's all,“ he said. Last year the president made a decision to increase staff numbers at border protection agencies in order to make them more efficient, set up new border outposts and battle-ready maneuver groups which had ceased to exist after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. 

Such divisions should be effectively deployed for border protection and have cutting-edge equipment for the prompt resolution of emerging issues in various conditions, the head of state remarked. Aleksandr Lukashenko also asked Chairman of the State Border Committee Anatoly Lappo to tell him how the agency was going to improve working and living conditions of border guards and their families. “What do we have to do today and tomorrow to raise the efficiency of border troops?” the president asked.