Trade, agriculture, mining. On the prospects for cooperation with Zimbabwe and the UAE

Yuliya Abukhovich Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economic Theory and Marketing of the Belarusian State Technological University

President of Belarus ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO recently visited Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates. Yulia Abukhovich, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economic Theory and Marketing of the Belarusian State Technological University, told BelTA about the opportunities that open up for Belarus and what is the interest of domestic enterprises in these regions.

Why is a visit to Zimbabwe important?

A visit of this level is the biggest sign of mutual respect in bilateral relations. The highest protocol status of the visit was emphasized by the fact that President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa personally met the distinguished Belarusian guest at the airport.

This visit has become a powerful impetus for cooperation between the two countries in all areas and a signal for government agencies, organizations, enterprises to expand activities in their areas of responsibility. In parallel with the meetings and negotiations at the highest level in Harare, a large Belarusian delegation was working, a Belarusian-Zimbabwean business forum was held, at which a number of documents were signed.

Presidents of Belarus and Zimbabwe Alexander Lukashenko and Emmerson Mnangagwa took part in the ceremony of handing over Belarusian equipment to Zimbabwean farmers

“On our part, we have demonstrated the determination to work systematically, thoroughly, for many years to come, and a similar signal was received from the leadership of Zimbabwe. Belarus has something to interest the Zimbabwean side, and political support at the highest level is a guarantee of fulfillment of the achieved and future obligations, a guarantee of long-term successful interaction," Yulia Abukhovich emphasized.

Why is cooperation with Zimbabwe interesting for Belarus?

First of all, we are talking about mutually beneficial trade cooperation: various types of Belarusian industrial products in exchange for mineral and vegetable raw materials from Zimbabwe.

“One of our main areas of interest on the African continent is mining. Belarus is especially interested in gold and lithium, the deposits of which are in Zimbabwe. of the foreseeable future is a necessary component in the creation of energy storage devices," the senior lecturer of the department drew attention.

Harare is the capital of Zimbabwe

According to the expert, it is appropriate to recall that in 2018, the Research and Production Center for Supercapacitors was opened in the China-Belarus Industrial Park "Great Stone". The technological cycle includes assembly, production, testing, maintenance and warranty service of supercapacitors, as well as work related to their installation on a vehicle.

"The value of the plant is especially high, given that there are no powerful production facilities for such products in the region. However, the full production cycle requires the availability of sources of raw materials, primarily lithium. Competition between the largest industrial centers is unfolding for its deposits all over the planet. It is included in the global struggle and Belarus, investing in the mining industry of Zimbabwe and supporting Harare in solving the most important problems of socio-economic development," Yulia Abukhovich stated.

An indicator of the importance Belarus attaches to the development of relations with this country is the fact that last year Belarus opened an embassy in Zimbabwe - this is the fifth embassy of our state on the African continent (along with diplomatic missions in such large countries as Egypt, Nigeria , South Africa and Kenya).

Why is Belarus useful for the African region?

“Like most countries in this region, Zimbabwe needs to improve food production technologies. In recent years, the main problem of Zimbabweans has been food. The former breadbasket of Africa has faced the worst drought in half a century. a third, and half with MILK. Simple food imports will not solve the problem, you need to create your own intensive production," the expert emphasized.

Belarus came to the rescue in the creation of agricultural holdings, with which the Zimbabwean authorities signed agreements worth $350 million. has already received 10 thousand hectares of land in the Mbire district for the cultivation of corn, soybeans and the construction of a MEAT and dairy farm.At the same time, a milk and meat processing line will be launched with further sale of finished products through retail chains. It is planned that the list of cultivated crops will be supplemented by rice and wheat. It is possible that the Belarusians will plant orchards: grown citrus fruits, avocados and mangoes will go to the Belarusian shelves and go to RUSSIA," she said.

In the fall of 2020, Belarus began mechanization of agriculture in Zimbabwe. "Zimbabwe has already received about 2,000 tractors, more than 100 seeders, dozens of grain harvesters. In the next two years, more than 3,000 units of tractor equipment and 60 combines are expected to be delivered," the senior lecturer of the department added.

In addition, Belarusian specialists stationed in the country train local farmers in modern technologies. Two years ago, President Mnangagwa commissioned the Belarusian Mechanization Complex at the Institute of Agricultural Engineering near Harare. A training center has also been opened to train local farmers in technical skills and handling Belarusian equipment.

"As a result, with the help of our country, Zimbabwe is approaching ensuring its food security," Yulia Abukhovich emphasized.

What's in the future?

First of all, options for expanding the already established trade cooperation are being considered, and further growth in the volume of mutual trade is expected. "The presidents of Belarus and Zimbabwe discussed the possibility of working on barter schemes and agreed to create a special group of specialists that will determine the relevant goods. Thus, our countries will bypass the US and EU currency restrictions, and Zimbabwe will simultaneously solve the problem of a shortage of foreign currency," the expert said.

"Soon, bilateral relations can reach a completely new level: investment cooperation, industrial cooperation, then - the creation of new sectors of the Zimbabwean economy, the solution with our help of the main socio-economic problems of this country, including in the field of healthcare," she noted. senior lecturer of the department.

Legal foundations are now being created for this, and during the visit, relevant documents were signed in the presence of the heads of state. Among them is a memorandum of understanding between Belarus and Zimbabwe on the mutual recognition of documents on education. Thus, mass training of Zimbabwean students according to Belarusian educational programs becomes possible.

The signing of an agreement on the promotion and mutual protection of investments and an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, the prevention of tax evasion with respect to taxes on income and property opens the way for the implementation of various projects in the field of industry, trade, agriculture, energy, transport and mining.

By the way, the absence of these agreements was the main obstacle to the start of the implementation of the 125 millionth project of Belarusian investors for the construction of a solar power plant approved in 2021 by the government of Zimbabwe. This station with a capacity of 100 megawatts is planned to be built in the town of Norton, 40 km from Harare.

Belarus and Zimbabwe also signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint permanent commission on cooperation between Belarus and Zimbabwe, agreed on the creation of separate groups of specialists for the development of agriculture and defense.

Following the creation of modern industries, intensive agriculture in Zimbabwe, Belarus will transfer to this country its approaches to organizing various activities, social know-how, in fact, we are talking about exporting the Belarusian way of life to a distant friendly country.

“As a result, Belarus will acquire a reliable partner in a rapidly developing region of the world, a fulcrum for entering several nearby countries. In particular, at the talks with the President of Zimbabwe, the prospects for developing cooperation - possibly in a trilateral format - with neighboring friendly Mozambique, which will act as at least as a sea gate to Zimbabwe. But for this, it will be necessary to help Mozambique in solving its security problems, this will benefit the entire large region of South and East Africa," Yulia Abukhovich stated.

Visit to the United Arab Emirates

“Although the visit to the UAE was not covered in such detail as in Zimbabwe, its importance should not be underestimated: the Belarusian President spent more time in this country than in Africa,” the expert noted.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Even before the trip, the issues of cooperation with the United Arab Emirates were repeatedly understood when discussing developments in the field of artificial intelligence during the exhibition "Intellectual Belarus" and during meetings with Emirati investors of the "North Shore" project in MINSK. The special position of the UAE as an important trade, transport, communication and logistics hub of Eurasia has been repeatedly noted.

“In general, the topic of the prospects for cooperation between Belarus and the UAE includes not only economic aspects, but also other aspects. The growing emphasis on the humanitarian sphere, as well as security issues, is especially emphasized. The latter, as you know, were discussed at the highest levels during the visit, and it is not surprising: Belarus has long been famous as a donor of security. In these troubled times, its various capabilities are in demand more than ever," Yulia Abukhovich summed up.

BELTA.