Wofai Samuel: June 2017

Saturday, 17 June 2017

WOFAI SAMUEL CHAIRS THE BELARUS - AFRICA FORUM IN MINSK, EASTERN EUROPE.

Pleased to outline this list of #country #Representatives that comprised the #ministerial #panel - A, for #Belarus #Africa Forum in #Minsk. *Honorable Marcos Alexandra Nhunga, Honorable #Minister #Agriculture, #Angola. *Hon. Mou. Ambrose Thiik, #Deputy Minister, #Ministry of #Finance and #planning, South #Sudan, *His #Excellency. Mr Igor Brylo, Vice Minister of #food and Agriculture, Belarus. *His Excellency, Mr. Dimitry Korchik, Vice Minister of #Industry, Belarus. Ministerial #Panel #Moderator, Wofai Samuel.

Belarus began accelerating it's effort to expand trade with Africa in 2009. A high profile step was the 4th official visit of foreign minister, Vladimir Makei, to Africa in 2014. Belarus maintains diplomatic missions in Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Libya tho it currently has diplomatic relations with 48 African countries. KEY TAKE AWAY from the forum was that, Belarus is focused on economic diplomacy, as the area of corporation with the countries in Africa Seeking to increase trade and expand exports of good and services.

I thought it proper to do a summary of activities, at the opening ceremony of the :

Belarus - Africa Forum in Minsk, with the Theme: "New Frontiers". Mr. Sergey Terentiev, Deputy Director of Africa&Middle East Department, Ministry of foreign Affairs Was the chairperson. His Excellency, Mr Anatoly Kalinin, Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, officially set the agenda for the forum. Welcoming Remarks was given by, Their Excellencies: Mr. Leonid Zayats, Minister of Agriculture and Food, Republic of Belarus and Mr Valentin Rybakov, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Opening statements, were made by Dr. Benedict Oramah, President, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) & Mr Sergei Roumas, Chairman of the Development Bank, Republic of Belarus. Mr. Dzmitry Kulaishou , Deputy Director International Business Department, Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus took the Keynote Speech & Coffee was served.