New Investment Partner: Why Oman Places Stakes on Belarus

Oman's interest in establishing a joint venture with Belarus could serve as a driver for strengthening bilateral relations and significantly increasing trade turnover.

Sergey Balmasov, Expert of the Middle East Institute, (Russia):

"The Omanis have many interests in Belarus. They've had a lot of money recently, as gas projects expand, and they need to invest somewhere. There are few places on the planet where they could invest without being subject to Western or other sanctions and still reap a guaranteed profit. Belarus is a completely different example of a stable country that isn't at war, and it has great potential. There are many options here—from the military and heavy engineering to agriculture. In fact, the Omanis are looking at Belarusian pharmaceuticals, i.e., medical drugs. They might even be willing to invest in a large-scale joint venture."