Belarusian delegation led by First Deputy Chairman of National Bank visits Nicaragua

An increasing amount of Belarusian machinery is operating throughout Central America, as the two regions deepen and expand their cooperation. Belarusian equipment is already at work—on fields and roads in Nicaragua. The contracts signed in July last year may soon be supplemented with new agreements.

Presently, a Belarusian delegation, headed by Alexander Yegorov, First Deputy Chairman of the National Bank, is in Nicaragua. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a joint trade and economic commission meeting. What areas will we focus on to strengthen our ties?

Nicaragua’s capital, Managua, is now approaching noon local time, which is nine hours behind Minsk. The day is filled with meetings and negotiations for our delegation. Nicaragua has become an important partner for Belarus in Central America. The country has access to both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with a total coastline of 800 kilometers. With over six million residents, Nicaragua is engaged in gold mining and exports products such as cotton, coffee, and sugar. It cultivates maize, rice, and legumes—fields that clearly require reliable equipment, and Belarusian tractors are already making a difference here.

Last year, a contract was signed for the supply of 36 units during the visit of the Belarusian government delegation to Nicaragua. During that visit, Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko signed agreements worth nearly 100 million dollars. This marked a significant breakthrough in bilateral relations, which essentially began a year and a half earlier. In the fall of 2023, a Nicaraguan delegation visited Minsk, transforming verbal agreements into concrete projects and friendly relations between Belarusians and Nicaraguans.

Late last night, upon arrival in Managua, the Belarusian delegation was personally welcomed by Laureano Falcundo Ortega Murillo, son of the president and his advisor on investments, trade, and international cooperation. A brief meeting at the airport signaled the start of new negotiations over the next three days here in Nicaragua. From Belarus, the delegation is led by Alexander Yegorov, who oversees cooperation with this country. In addition to our traditional engineering sector, we have brought a package of new proposals.

Regarding machinery, besides tractors, our trucks and MAZ tractors are already in operation. We also anticipate a new shipment of Amkodor road construction machinery. Twelve loaders have proven effective on transportation and construction projects. The phased deliveries are scheduled through 2027. Our Development Bank supports enterprises with export assistance, and the market prospects are enormous, especially given the opportunity for re-export of joint products to Latin American markets.

These and other issues will be discussed this week in Managua. The Belarusian delegation includes representatives from the Development Bank and our manufacturing enterprises.

Tomorrow, the Belarusian-Nicaraguan joint trade and economic commission meeting will take place. Topics will include trade and new joint projects. Both countries are interested and eager to develop these relations despite the long distances—our flight took over a day. In today’s world, such distances are no longer an obstacle.