Minsk - Muscat: creating hub for Belarusian goods and joint cooperation projects

A place where a hub for Belarusian goods may appear. Today, Alexander Lukashenko visited the port of Sohar on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. These capacities can become a reliable launching pad for cooperation between Minsk and Muscat.

The leaders held talks the day before, and it can be said that work on the roadmap for cooperation has already begun. And Belarus expects to use the port and the Sohar free economic zone for joint projects. The head of state was given a detailed tour of the FEZ. They talked about how the work is organized, how the enterprises operate on the site and all its logistical advantages.

To get to the port of Sohar, you need to get from the capital for about 2 hours. It is sort of halfway between Muscat and Dubai. It occupies an area of 45 square kilometers and is considered one of the fastest growing ports in the world.

The President was able to assess the full scope of the port area in the air - Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Sohar by helicopter.

It takes a lot of time to travel around the entire territory. The head of state is given a detailed tour: what kind of enterprises work here and what the infrastructure is like. For the government of Oman, the development of logistics in different parts of the country is a priority. This is an application to strengthen its position in the region and an economic sense in order to trade more with the countries of the Persian Gulf and beyond.

In addition, Sohar is one of four special economic zones in Oman. Benefits are provided to those whose products are exported here. The enterprises are very different: from a flour mill and sugar factory to steel and petrochemical production.

Locals advertise unhindered sea access, modern logistics, as well as trouble-free communication with the Persian Gulf countries - rail, road and air. And East Africa is nearby - from here you can easily re-export Belarusian goods. I would not mind creating an Omani logistics company in Minsk.

In fact, work on a roadmap for cooperation, which should become an action plan for the two states, has already begun. There is political will for this.

"The Sultan made a very good proposal, to create a hub here, a center for Belarusian goods. And yesterday I honestly told him that we have learned to produce a lot of things. And in this regard, they promised to help us," said Alexander Lukashenko.

The President visited an enterprise that manufactures polymer products. It operates under the wing of one of the two largest energy companies in Oman. They extract oil and gas, process it, trade it and do much more.

Khayal Muazzin, international journalist (Iran):

"Minsk has made the right bet by building strategic relations with key countries of the Middle East, having reached successful agreements with Iran, Oman and Pakistan. This demonstrates that Belarus can play a key role in the formation of a multipolar world. Focusing on strengthening ties with these countries helps Belarus diversify its economy, reducing its dependence on traditional markets. Developing a partnership with Oman will be an important step in this strategy, opening a new horizon for mutually beneficial cooperation with the Persian countries - Oman and Iran, among others."

Minsk and Muscat are today definitely writing a new history of bilateral relations, which includes both political understanding and economic interest. The leaders will be able to synchronize their watches next year - the Sultan of Oman is expected in Belarus.