MINSK, 27 March (BelTA) – Belarus is committed to active joint work on advancing Eurasian integration, Belarus’ Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin said during the expanded-format meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Shymkent (Kazakhstan) on 27 March,
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“Belarus is focused on active joint efforts to further Eurasian integration. Our meeting is taking place during an acute phase of turbulence in the global economy, or rather, yet another phase. This once again underscores the value of our unity within the EAEU and the need to continue building it. The Eurasian Economic Union must remain a reliable platform ensuring stability and steady economic growth for our countries, and serve as a strong beacon of economic pragmatism for others. It is important to preserve the main achievement of Eurasian integration: a capacious internal market without borders, restrictions, or excessive protectionism, supported by production capacities and a comprehensive resource base,” Aleksandr Turchin said.
In his view, aspirations for closer cooperation are no longer sufficient. “The geopolitical context forces us to look at the tasks of regional economic integration from a somewhat different angle. It is necessary to ensure the socio-economic development of our countries in a way that can sustainably withstand a wide range of external challenges amid the growing fragmentation of the global economy. This strategic vision was formulated by the leaders of our states in the EAEU Treaty. In this regard, we expect the prompt start of coordinated, streamlined, and results-oriented work within the EEC [Eurasian Economic Commission] across all priorities outlined in the plan for implementing the declaration on the further development of economic processes within the EAEU,” the prime minister emphasized.
Belarus has always prioritized the creation of common markets as part of the Eurasian economic integration process, he noted. “I believe that the trends emerging in the global economy require serious analysis by the EEC. Today, among other items, the heads of government are considering the report On the Macroeconomic Situation in the EAEU Member States and Proposals for Ensuring Sustainable Economic Development. Unfortunately, the authors did not reach concrete proposals. And we would like our highly professional integration headquarters, the EEC, to present additional solutions to mitigate various macroeconomic risks. We need practical results from the documents being adopted,” the Belarusian head of government emphasized.
He added that another important area of joint efforts is ensuring the effective functioning of the EAEU’s transport and logistics framework, with a focus on diversifying international transport routes and strengthening the connectivity of the EAEU with key markets for Eurasian exports and channels for critical imports.
“Reaching a new stage of integration aimed at building the economy of the future is impossible without developing the EAEU’s industrial potential and strengthening cooperation in science, technology, innovation, and production. So far, despite the efforts being made, effective cooperation between our countries has been progressing extremely slowly. Moreover, at times, instead of cooperation, we inadvertently create competition among ourselves. We expect new ideas from the EEC, as well as more effective work to stimulate the creation of cooperative value chains among EAEU member states, relying on financial instruments from the EAEU budget. We also expect that the new regulation on the formation and functioning of Eurasian technological platforms, which is being approved today, will deliver tangible results in the near future,” Aleksandr Turchin said.
Belarus has always been and remains a committed supporter of integration processes, the prime minister stressed. “We are convinced that sustainable economic growth in our countries and improvements in living standards can be achieved only through close cooperation with one another and through partnership with our neighbors from the global majority,” he concluded.