ISLAMABAD: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is set to visit Pakistan in last week of this month, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties and explore new avenues of cooperation in diverse fields, a source in Foreign Office told Business Recorder on Friday.
The Belarusian president is likely to arrive on a three-day official visit from November 25-27, it was learnt.
Sources revealed that Pakistan and Belarus may revive already pledged $1billion bilateral annual trade target in 2017.
During his visit, President Lukashenko is scheduled to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and other top military leadership during his stay.
Expanding collaboration in modern farming techniques and equipment, enhancing trade ties and boosting bilateral commerce, security and defence relationship will also come under discussion between both sides.
Pakistan has expressed keen interest in cooperation in the tractor manufacturing sector, highlighting Belarus’s expertise in agricultural machinery.
Several agreements are expected to be signed between the two countries, fostering collaboration across multiple sectors and paving the way for stronger economic and strategic ties.
This visit is seen as a significant step in enhancing relations between Pakistan and Belarus, with both nations eager to build a robust partnership.
The 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Belarus, on 3 February 2024, marks a significant milestone. Plans are afoot to commemorate this occasion through joint events in Islamabad and Minsk, underscoring the importance of bilateral ties.
Remarkably, the first five months of 2023 saw a 30 per cent increase in mutual trade, with Belarusian exports to Pakistan surging by 1.5 times compared to the previous year.
Research associate at Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and expert on Belarussian affairs, Taimoor Fahad Khan said diplomatic, economic, political and military cooperation between the two countries has evolved significantly since the early 1990s. High-level state visits and official exchanges underscore the commitment to deepening cooperation. Notable among these are the historic visits by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (2015 and 2016) and Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov to Pakistan (2015), and reciprocal visits by Pakistan, premier Nawaz Sharif.
The most recent high-level engagement was the visit of Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik to Pakistan in May 2023.
Khan indicated that despite these efforts, the trade volume between the two countries, as of 2019, stood at US$50.2 million with the balance of trade favouring Belarus.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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