“Our task for 2021 is to increase agricultural export by 4.3% from 2020. The increase will amount to a little over $6 billion. This is a very large amount, and everyone has to fight for the markets, using various marketing tools and ways of promoti...

In 2020, Belarus exported over $5.8 billion worth of agricultural and food products, which was up by 4.3% over 2019. Currency earnings rose by $240.2 million year-on-year.

On 8 February train No. 1/2 Moscow-Minsk operated by Belarusian Railways will leave for Moscow after a long break. The return train will leave for Minsk on 9 February. After that the train will run every other day.

"Azimut Airline informs about the start of air service on the Rostov-on-Don-Minsk route and the launch of ticket sales. The flight will be performed weekly from 16 February on Tuesdays," the airline said.

Top officials of the Mogilev Office of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Jewish Autonomous Oblast held an online meeting on 7 February.

Belarusian educational institutions have signed 4,700 agreements with peers from 90 countries. We have expanded our reach into Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Cooperation with China got a new impetus. The Year of Belarus' Education was suc...

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko hosted another meeting to discuss preparations for and conduct of the Belarusian People's Congress, BelTA has learned.

Belarus needs to introduce criminal liability for people who call for sanctions against the country, Chairman of Belteleradiocompany Ivan Eismont told the Editors' Club program.

Russia remained the main importer of MTZ vehicles in 2020, followed by Kazakhstan and Ukraine. All in all, MTZ sold its products to 45 countries, including nine new markets (Burundi, the UK, Haiti, Guatemala, Guinea, Dominican Republic, Zimbabwe, In...

A web-based meeting "Belarus - Kyrgyzstan: Trade and Economic Cooperation" will be held on 25 February, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

For some reason the collective West has claimed the right to dictate its will to the whole world, political scientist Aleksei Belyaev told the Editors' Club program on the Belarus 1 TV channel.

The member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will start working on a draft agreement on the common gas market soon, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko sent greetings to Governor-General of New Zealand Patsy Reddy and the people as the country celebrated the national holiday - Waitangi Day on 6 February.

The Belarusian government has approved the procedure for the commissioning of the startup facilities of the units of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

The nationwide coronavirus tally now stands at 258,691 cases. A total of 247,177 patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered in Belarus.

The heads of government of the Eurasian Economic Union member states have reached a consensus on all issues on the agenda of the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on 5 February, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman G...

The mercury dropped to -20 °C in the morning of 7 February in Grodn.

The air temperature was -19°C in the morning of 7 February in Gomel.

The board of Bellegprom convened on 5 February to take stock of the performance of the concern in 2020. Companies affiliated with Bellegprom produced $649.9 million worth of goods in 2020, 59.5% of which was shipped to 52 foreign markets.

Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev on 5 February.

The roadmap to create and promote the national brand of Belarus will be completed by May 2021. This is set forth in the Belarusian prime minister's executive order No.15p of 3 February 2021.

There were no interruptions in freight transportation. More than 2.3 million freight vehicles moved across the Belarusian part of the EAEU customs border, about 6,500 trucks every day, which was up by 9.5% over 2019.

"The council will send the document for harmonization to the CSTO member states," the spokesman said.

The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council approved a concept of promoting electronic document management at sea checkpoints of the Eurasian Economic Union member states at a meeting in Almaty on 5 February.

The Belarusian customs have significantly reduced the time of goods release in the past five years, Chairman of the State Customs Committee Vladimir Orlovsky told the media.

“Being one of the country's biggest manufacturers, we are interested in preserving flagship companies. Indeed, as the president said, we did not create them, therefore we do not have the right to destroy them. And this is the best response to calls...

The heads of government of the Eurasian Economic Union member states discussed ten issues at the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 5 February.

Belarusian air and railway transport organizations are ready to enforce all safety requirements set by international partners: face masks, temperature checks, vaccination, Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Aleksei Avramenko said.

The prime ministers of the Eurasian Economic Union agreed on a mechanism for applying retaliatory measures against third countries at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council held in Almaty on 5 February.

"We received Br47 million in these payments in 2020 and Br88 million over three years. I would like to note very high dynamics of these payments. Every year the growth rate is more than 40%," Sergei Nalivaiko said.

The program seeks to increase the competitiveness of domestic agricultural products and foodstuffs, to unlock unexploited export potential, to promote environmentally friendly agriculture with a view to strengthening the country's food security, and ...

“Talking about the goals for 2021, I would like, first of all, to mention stabilization of the financial state of our main enterprises, which were seriously affected by the pandemic last year,” said Belarus' Transport and Communications Minister ...

The economies of the EAEU countries are projected to grow by at least 3.2%in 2021, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich told the media .

We will provide comprehensive support for the development of Belarusian science, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with representatives of the academia.

The plan provides for the implementation of joint projects and activities. In addition to that, consultations are to be held to reconcile the EAEU law and the CIS legal framework, including with a view to eliminating contradictions between the draft ...

The nationwide coronavirus tally was pushed to 255,172 cases. A total of 243,144 patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered in Belarus.

The former world number one will next face either world number 339 Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States or Estonia's world number 23 Anett Kontaveit.

“I once again say that we will need to work a lot with our youth in order to keep them from going astray, because they have their whole life ahead of them. We will be gone, but they will remain," Aleksandr Lukashenko concluded.

When developing the industrial potential of the EAEU countries, we need to avoid the crisis of overproduction, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said at the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.

In addition to efficient treatment of COVID-19, Belarus should ensure the continuity of essential health services, including a cancer service, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

We need to promote industrial cooperation in high-tech industries in the Eurasian Economic Union, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Mikhail Myasnikovich said at the Digital Almaty Forum 2021 on 4 February.

Стая лебедей и уток поселилась на реке Западная Двина в Витебске.

Employer-sponsored education programs will get a new lease on life, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with representatives of the country's academic community on 5 February.

We held brief presentations of the two regions and the two chambers. Cooperation and various areas of mutual interest for business were also on the agenda of our meeting, the BelCCI Mogilev Office said in a statement.

Today the country needs new breakthrough, efficient and innovative technologies, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a ceremony to award doctoral and professor certificates on 5 February.

In January 2021 the level of gold and foreign exchange reserves was maintained thanks to the foreign currency budget revenue, including revenues from selling government bonds nominated in foreign currency by the Finance Ministry.

Belarus welcomes the decision to renew the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms of 8 April 2010 for 5 years.

The document provides for extending the existing conditions for business activities in agroecotourism through 2025, including preferential loans of Belagroprombank to up to 2,000 base amounts at 5% per annum for up to 5 years.

“Belarus boasts the largest IT cluster in Eastern Europe - the Hi-Tech Park. In 2020, its export exceeded $2.5 billion, which is more than 20% of the total export of services of Belarus,” said Roman Golovchenko.

According to Belarus' prime minister, the implementation of the EAEU digital agenda does not lead to the development of national segments. More attention is paid to the development of centralized services, which, according to the Belarusian side, may...

The region has been actively working with China. “Last year we exported $91 million worth of goods to China, up one third from 2019,” the vice governor said.

Member of the Board (Minister) for Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission Sergei Glazyev, said this during an online press conference from Almaty on 4 February.

The decree lets the Development Bank of Belarus extend export loans to residents of Belarus for the production of goods, works and services and their subsequent sale to non-residents in 2021-2022.

“As for the food security, we can feed ourselves. If by food security we mean food supply, quality and safety of food, then the coronavirus pandemic had absolutely little impact in this part,” said Artak Kamalyan.

The main goal in municipal solid waste management is to improve the effectiveness of its use, the minister pointed out.

"Sanctions do no one any good. I can say that anti-Russian sanctions have done even more damage to the European Union than they have to us, it is such a double-edged sword,” Sergei Glazyev said.

There are no plans to introduce a single currency in the EAEU, there is no such discussion as there are no necessary preconditions for it, Member of the Board (Minister) for Economy and Financial Policy of the Eurasian Economic Commission Timur Zhaks...

Following yesterday's 56-68 defeat to Poland, Belarus took a 67-56 win over the UK on 4 February.

The Belarusian harvester manufacturer Gomselmash and the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia's Tula Oblast have signed a cooperation agreement, BelTA learned from Gomselmash.

Belarus would like to launch new projects with Kyrgyzstan, Belarus' Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said at the meeting with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Ulukbek Maripov in Almaty.

Belavia will fly to Saint Petersburg on Fridays as of 12 February. Flights to Rostov-on-Don will be performed on Saturdays with return flights to Minsk on Sundays.

The participants of the consultations also discussed the prospects for expanding cooperation of the CIS countries in the areas of security and countering new challenges and threats, and also foreign policy, humanitarian and economic cooperation.

Foreign students will be able to enroll in the master's program in international trade (economics, politics, law) that has been launched at Belarusian State University (BSU). The new major is available in English and is part of the World Economy spec...

In 2020, resident companies of the free economic zone (FEZ) Grodnoinvest produced more than $330 million worth of import-substituting products.

The national action plan provided for upgrading a seismic monitoring network and deploying permanent seismic stations. At present a temporary network is used. An upgraded network will be commissioned to monitor the geodynamic stability during the sta...

The agreement on the common gas market in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is to be signed in 2022; the document will be drafted in 2021, Emil Kaikiev, Member of the Board – Minister in charge of Energy and Infrastructure of the Eurasian Economic...

"Since the connection to the national power grid the BelNPP first unit has produced the first billion kWh of electricity. This electricity was used to meet domestic electricity needs," the Energy Ministry informed.

Speaking about the readiness of BelNPP for various emergency situations, Nikolai Karpenko explained that the plant's design contains “the most advanced technical solutions and engineering surveys”.

Belarusian Ambassador to Nigeria Vyacheslav Bril met with the country's Controller General of Fire Service Liman Alhaji Ibrahim in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

No new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been detected in Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.

Belarus confirmed 1,708 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours; another 1,959 coronavirus patients were discharged from hospital, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.

Stress tests have been carried out at nuclear power plants around the world since the accident at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant, caused by the strong earthquake and tsunami.

The Council of the House of Representatives discussed the legislative plan for the upcoming spring session and the plan of international cooperation for 2021.

In 2021, Belarus expects to welcome high-level delegations from Moldova, Austria, and Switzerland and send parliamentary delegations to Egypt and Serbia.

Athletes will be required to use of smartphone applications to report health, to avoid physical contact with others, including shaking hands, to keep a 2-meter distance, to plan their actions.

Ambassador Franklin Ramirez Araque recalled that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Belarus signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations at the UN headquarters on 4 February 1997. Venezuela officially recognized the ind...

Friendly relations between Belarus and Uzbekistan are developing both at the level of presidents and between people, outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Belarus Nasirdjan Yusupov told the media.

At least 500 specialists will be trained for nuclear energy jobs in Belarus in 2021-2025. The Council of Ministers' Resolution No. 57 on the approval of the government program “Education and Youth Policy” has been officially published on the Nati...

The diplomat thanked the Belarusian head of state for the high assessment of his activities. “Three years passed very quickly. We managed to achieve some progress, create the groundwork for the future,” said the ambassador.

Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to the Russian Federation, Julio Antonio Garmendia Pena, has been appointed by the Government of Cuba as the permanent representative to the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The quality management and information security systems of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) have been certified for compliance with the ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 standards after an audit conducted by the international certification bod...

Belarus-Uzbekistan cooperation has made considerable strides, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Belarus Nasirdjan Yusupov whose mandate in Belarus is expiring.

A good foundation has been created for further development of effective cooperation between Belarus and Uzbekistan, outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Belarus Nasirdjan Yusupov told BelTA.

"You know, if I were Aleksandr Lukashenko, I would thank Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Pavel Latushko, because by making threats these people have done something extremely useful for the government: they have consolidated the supporters of Aleksandr Lukas...

The agreement was signed by Belarus' Economy Minister Aleksandr Chervyakov and Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Xie Xiaoyong.

The forest area is projected to increase to 40.3% of the country's territory, the volume of timber harvesting to 3.2 cubic meters per one hectare, and average annual stock to 225 cubic meters per 1 hectare. At least 580.3km of new forest roads will ...

The government and business need to build up a dialogue of mutual trust, said Irina Babachenok, deputy head of the regional development and property relations department at the Economy Ministry of Belarus.

The project "EU4Digital: Connecting Research and Education Communities (EaPConnect)” shall be coordinated by the National Academy of Sciences, the project "Strengthening cooperation between the EU and the Republic of Belarus in customs affairs" - ...

The adoption of the law on self-regulated organizations will contribute to the dialogue between the government and business, said Tatiana Bykova, the director of the National Foundation for Business Promotion.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko sent greetings to President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the country celebrates the Independence Day.

"The schedule of new flights, the train schedule and the terms of passenger service will be further agreed by the appropriate agencies of Belarus and Russia," the statement reads.

Depending on their age group, the best contestants will receive from 20 to 40 base amounts (as from 1 January 2021, one base amount equals Br29). Eligible to compete are pianists from Belarusian and foreign educational institutions aged 16-25. Appli...

The Business Cooperation Council of the Republic of Belarus and St. Petersburg of the Russian Federation held the 11th meeting via videoconferencing.

Ambassador of Belarus to Turkey Viktor Rybak met with Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy in Ankara on 3 February.

On 5 February the participants of the meeting will discuss an 11-point agenda, including a better use of special protective, anti-dumping and countervailing measures in the EAEU, as well as revision of the lists of countries that use the EAEU unified...

Karyna Dzemidzik of Belarus clinched bronze at the the Banskobystrica Latka high jump meeting in Slovakia, BelTA has learned.

The National Marketing Center of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesia Trade, Tourism and Investment Club (ITTIC) signed a memorandum of cooperation and mutual support in the development of trade and economic relations.