Belarus – Visit by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (26 October 2018)

Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne will also meet with Igor Petrishenko, Belarus’s Deputy Prime Minister notably responsible for economic relations with France. In addition, he will also take part in the 5th France-Belarus Business Forum where he will exchange views with French firms based in the country.

The minister of state will meet with leading figures from civil society ahead of his official meetings. During the bilateral meetings with the Belarusian authorities, he will discuss relations between Belarus and the EU as well as the human rights situation. He will reaffirm France’s commitment to the abolition of the death penalty.

The 3rd France-Belarus Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation is an important event in terms of strengthening bilateral economic relations. Our exports are diversified (manufacturing industry, chemicals, perfumes and cosmetics, pharmaceutical products). Although trade between France and Belarus has increased by 50% over the last two years, its level remains below its potential. The minister of state will bring the concerns of French firms regarding market access to the attention of the Belarusian authorities and will outline ways to make the credit insurance policy of the Public Investment Bank (BPI) more flexible for the country. He will be accompanied by a delegation of firms operating in the Belarusian market.

Following the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation, the minister of state will sign an intergovernmental agreement with the Belarus party on the international transport of passengers and goods by road.