Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei participates in an international video conference within the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative

On June 18, 2020 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, took part in the international video conference within the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative.

The video conference was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China after the second forum on international cooperation of the “Belt and Road” held on 25-27 June 2019 in Beijing.

The event was presided by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yi, who read out a statement by the Chairman Xi Jinping. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, T.Gebreyesus, and the UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, have also made welcoming speeches.

The discussion was focused on fighting the coronavirus pandemic and ways to restore economy, including implementation of the joint projects under the “Belt and Road” initiative.

In his statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, paid attention to the right of the state to independently determine the tactics and strategy to combat the spread of coronavirus and emphasised the unacceptability of politicising the issue of the pandemic.

V.Makei thanked the World Health Organization for its’ assistance and expressed interest in developing fruitful cooperation with this Organization and the UN in the spirit of unity, solidarity and mutual support.

In the context of Belarus’ participation in the “Belt and Road” initiative, the Foreign Minister confirmed the interest of Belarus in implementing joint projects in the field of railway logistics and high-tech industries.

Minister noted the results of the development of the Great Stone industrial Park as a key joint of the Silk Road Economic Belt in the Eurasian region.

As a result of the event, a joint statement was adopted, which is intended to help to convey positive signals to countries on strengthening the cooperation in fighting the epidemic, promote the “Belt and Road” initiative and coordinate approaches to fight the epidemic and to restore social and economic development.

Representatives of twenty-five countries participated in the video conference, including on the level of Deputy Prime Ministers: Cambodia, Indonesia, Serbia; and Foreign Ministers: Chile, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

Background Information: the initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) announced by the Chairman of the People's Republic of China in September 2013 during a visit to Kazakhstan is aimed at developing an innovative model of interconnection and forming a new order of interregional cooperation. Together with the initiative to build the «Maritime Silk Road of the XXI century», the combined concept was called the «Belt and Road». Five priorities for international cooperation with countries along the Silk Road have been identified: political coordination, interconnection of infrastructure, uninterrupted trade, free movement of capital, and strengthening of proximity between peoples. The Republic of Belarus was among the first to support the “the Belt and Road” initiative.

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