Key priorities of our foreign policy

Our key priorities in foreign policy are Russia, other post-Soviet states – the CIS partners, European Union, countries of the South and multilateral diplomacy.

Our key foreign economic goals in relations with Russia are: to increase our exports, to encourage closer ties with Russia’s regions, to expand our commodity distribution network, to attract more Russian investments.Our major priorities in relations with Europe are to intensify partnership with European countries in trade and investments, transportation, transit, to encourage simpler visa regime and closer cooperation in environmental protection.While building up mutually advantageous cooperation with Russia, Belarus strictly sticks to the principle of unconditional preservation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the parties, accurate and responsible performance of international duties.

Our big neighbours: Russia & the European Union

Belarus wants to leverage the strategic partnership potential with the Russian Federation. Extensive mutual agenda is determined by a set of geographical, geopolitical, historical and other factors, complementarity of the two economies, and close cooperation between our enterprises.

Belarus is a reliable partner of the European Union not only in the aspect of maintaining social and economic stability of the region but also in such strategically important issues as ensuring military and political security, energy and environmental safety, crime control, fight against drug- and human-trafficking.

We stand for the development of an equitable dialogue and comprehensive cooperation with the European Commission and the EU Member States.

Belarus is largely engaged in multi-aspect cooperation with the former Soviet republics at bilateral level and within the integration institutions – the Commonwealth of Independent States, Eurasian Economic Community, Customs Union / Common Economic Space, Collective Security Treaty Organization.

We support further integration within the CIS, firstly in economy, free trade policy, military area and in heading off organized crime and terrorism.

Within the Eurasian Economic Community, Belarus is interested in the development of mutually beneficial partnership with the member states of the EAEC with an emphasis on energy sector, transport and transit; taking advantages of being in the Customs Union and Common Economic Space.

Belarus intends to assist in consolidation of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in all directions (political, military, informational); in cooperation on fighting drug-trafficking, illegal migration; in encouraging closer cooperation between the CSTO and other international and regional organizations.

Belarus is planning to strengthen and expand the far edge of the foreign-policy allies and partners in Asia, Latin America, Middle Eastern and Africa and to bring cooperation with them up to the level of strategic partnership.

Trade diversification, expansion of economic cooperation with the states of the above-mentioned regions is a significant premise for the growth of Belarusian export-oriented economy.

The major goal is to intensify political and economic cooperation with our traditional partners (Argentina, Brazil, China, Cuba, Egypt,  India, Iran, Japan, South Africa, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Vietnam) as well as to promote dialog and active engagement with the states that have great potential for mutually beneficial collaboration (Angola,  Bolivia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador,  Ethiopia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Qatar and others. 

Belarus supports the development of a constructive and equitable dialogue with the US, expansion of full-scale bilateral collaboration on urgent issues of global agenda (fight against human-trafficking, counteraction to drug distribution, cybercrime, and distribution of child pornography in the Internet, security of nuclear sites, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction), based on mutual interests.

Belarus contributes to raising the role of the United Nations in solving international problems, supports the UN policy in promoting international peace and security, non-proliferation, arms control and in counteracting international terrorism. We stand for a balanced reform of the United Nations to make sure it is better fit to new realities.

At the UN, we work hard in a number of critical areas, with numerous initiatives put forward to help boost international cooperation and coordination: acknowledgement of the diversity of progressive development as a universal value; establishment of global partnership against slavery and human-trafficking; abolition of unilateral compulsory measures used to exert pressure on sovereign states; implementation of the Decade of Revival and Sustainable Development of Chernobyl-affected Regions; promotion of closer international collaboration in distribution of energy-saving technologies and in the use of alternative and renewable energy sources, along with establishment of a global mechanism to control this process.

Belarus is interested in the increasing role of the Non-Aligned Movement in international processes; intensified dialogue between the NAM and other major political and economic centers as well as bilateral trade and economic relations with the NAM member countries.

Belarus stands for a stronger and reformed Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to encourage more transparency and efficiency in its work  and effective for the benefit of all member states.

Belarus also looks forward to establishing a strong partnership with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in political, economic, energy, transport, scientific, and military spheres; on issues of regional and global security, in counteracting terrorism, drug- and human-trafficking. Belarus is determined to take an active part in the SCO’s activities.