DUSHANBE (TCA) — The first trilateral business forum of Belarus, Tajikistan and Afghanistan will take place in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, in July, Belarusian BelTA news agency reported with reference to the Belarusian Embassy in Tajikistan.
Ambassador of Belarus to Tajikistan Oleg Ivanov and Counselor Viktor Polyanin met with Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan Sharif Said and Ambassador of Afghanistan to Tajikistan Zalmai Younusi on May 2. The parties discussed issues related to the organization of the forum. The event will be held in late July as part of the international expo and fair Tajikistan 2017. The forum will aim to establish business ties in industry, healthcare, agriculture and food.
Oleg Ivanov and Sharif Said also reviewed the state and prospects of the economic relations between Belarus and Tajikistan. Special attention was paid to the organization of meetings of the business circles of the two countries, including the meeting that will take place in Minsk from 17 to 19 May on the sidelines of the 11th meeting of the intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation and the business cooperation council.
BelTA earlier reported that Belarus and Afghanistan plan to set up joint food processing ventures. Belarus’ Agriculture and Food Minister Leonid Zayats held talks with an official Afghan delegation in Minsk in February. Members of the delegation invited Belarus to establish joint food processing ventures in Afghanistan and develop joint brands. It was suggested that Belarus could supply to Afghanistan flour, beef, poultry meat, and dairy products.
In 2016, trade between Belarus and Afghanistan totaled $26.4 million, up by 60% from 2015.
