January 7, Pozirk. Belarus plans to open an embassy in Saudi Arabia, according to Glas MIDa, the Belarusian foreign ministry’s unofficial Telegram channel.
Foreign Minister Siarhiej Alejnik is visiting the kingdom on January 7–8 and has held talks with his counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
“At least, we are expecting the expansion of our diplomatic presence and the opening of a new Belarusian embassy,” the post reads.
Earlier, Minsk announced several meetings of its delegation with officials and business leaders in Saudi Arabia.
In July, Alejnik and Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed El-Khereiji discussed tourism and a visa facilitation agreement.
Four months later, Belarus, for the first time, accredited a Saudi military attaché, Major General Saad Mohammed Hossein Alkathiri.
The two countries established diplomatic relations in June 1997. The Belarusian embassy in the United Arab Emirates headed by Ambassador Andrej Łučanok oversees Minsk’s relations with Riyadh.
Trade between the two countries totaled $42.3 million in 2021, with Saudi exports accounting for most of it. The Belarusian foreign ministry did not publish figures for 2022.
Update
The negotiators praised “the renewed dynamics of political, economic, and humanitarian ties between Belarus and Saudi Arabia, as well as the intensification of contacts between the two countries’ business communities,” the Belarusian foreign ministry said on Facebook.
They called for stronger bilateral relations “across the whole spectrum.”
The ministers discussed legal issues, deeper trade and economic cooperation, food security, healthcare, tourism, and the simplification of visa procedures.
The diplomats have similar positions on the current international affairs and agreed to step up cooperation towards “a more just world order,” the post says.
