MINSK, 20 August (BelTA) – Belarus-Myanmar cooperation is developing on the basis of mutual trust, Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing said at the Belarus-Myanmar Business Forum in Minsk on 20 August, BelTA has learned.

“Despite the geographical distance, Belarus and Myanmar are friendly countries with mutual understanding and trust between us. Diplomatic relations were established in September 1999. Since then, bilateral relations have improved significantly and reached the highest level. An important milestone is the opening of Myanmar’s embassy in Minsk. I would like to express special gratitude to Belarus for its consistent support and assistance to Myanmar. In times of growing global geopolitical and geo-economic challenges, bilateral relations are being strengthened on the basis of mutual trust. We are firmly committed to achieving further progress. The time has come to strategically develop and strengthen economic cooperation, building on the good history of friendship between our countries,” Min Aung Hlaing said.

He stressed that today’s forum provides an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation in the economic, investment, and trade sectors. Joint projects and the removal of economic and trade barriers will contribute to more effective bilateral economic cooperation.

Min Aung Hlaing emphasized cooperation in agriculture, industry (supplies of tractors and MAZ equipment), pharmaceuticals, education (training Myanmar students in Belarus), and investment cooperation.

During the forum, Belarusian Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin and the president of Myanmar toured an exhibition of Myanmar products, featuring a wide range of consumer goods and food products. Special attention was given to the possibility of supplying Myanmar coffee and tea to Belarus.

Minsk is hosting the Belarus-Myanmar Business Forum on 20 August. The Myanmar delegation includes heads and representatives of leading enterprises and financial institutions in such areas as banking and financial services, wholesale and retail trade, logistics, food processing, textiles, construction and mining, and information technology. Myanmar shows particular interest in Belarusian engineering enterprises, especially manufacturers of tractor and agricultural machinery, as well as in the supply of pharmaceutical products and food. Both sides are also interested in cooperation in industrial cooperation, logistics, and textiles. The forum program includes company presentations, the signing of commercial documents, and B2B negotiations. More than 150 representatives of Belarusian enterprises are expected to take part in the B2B session.