Azerbaijani, Belarus PMs meet to boost bilateral relations

Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov met with his Belarusian counterpart, Roman Golovchenko, in Minsk as part of an official visit aimed at enhancing bilateral relations.

The sides held discussions in both a limited and expanded format, emphasizing the robust ties between Azerbaijan and Belarus, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The PMs hailed the dynamic development of the partnership, attributing progress to the close collaboration between the two countries' presidents. They highlighted the significance of the state visit of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko to Azerbaijan in May, which set the stage for further cooperation.

During the meeting, the premiers addressed pressing issues of trade and economic collaboration, noting a remarkable 39 per cent increase in mutual trade over the first eight months of 2023. They voiced confidence that this upward trend would continue, spurred by joint projects in various promising sectors.

Key areas of focus included industrial cooperation, agricultural development, and vocational education. The Ganja Automobile Plant's long-standing partnership with leading Belarusian machine-building enterprises was underscored as a vital component of their industrial collaboration.

Additionally, the PMs discussed plans for constructing agro-towns in Azerbaijan's liberated territories and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing agricultural product exchanges.

The parties praised the traditionally strong cultural and humanitarian ties between the two countries, highlighting the recent increase in cultural, scientific, and youth exchanges, as well as collaborative efforts in education.

They also noted the expansion of interregional cooperation, exemplified by agreements signed during the Belarus President's recent state visit to Azerbaijan to establish twinning relationships between several cities of the countries.

The potential for growth in the tourism sector was also recognized, with both sides agreeing on the benefits of enhancing collaboration in this area.

Asadov and Golovchenko discussed prospects for further mutually beneficial cooperation and reaffirmed their readiness for active collaboration on all matters of mutual interest.

Following the talks, several important documents were signed to advance agricultural production in the Aghdam district, enhance healthcare cooperation, design an agro-town in the Gizil Kangarli village of Aghdam, and supply fire-fighting equipment.

By Vafa Guliyeva