Benghazi— A two-day visit by a high-level Belarusian delegation was concluded on early Tuesday marking the readiness of both parties to cooperate in several areas and deepen the bilateral relations between Libya and Belarus. Libya’s interest is in reconstruction of a country in shambles.
The discussions that took place during the two days were presided by Prime Minister Osama Hamad (appointed by the Parliament) on the Libyan side, and the Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Karankevich on the Belarusian side.
The discussions were described as “fruitful” and resulted on signing a number agreements paving the way for a new phase of cooperation in the areas of development and reconstruction, according to a statement by the office PM Hamad.
Along with holding talks with the Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, Mr. Karankevich and his accompanying delegation laid a wreath at the tomb of Sheikh Omar Al-Mukhtar in Benghazi. The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lukashevich visited the newly refurbished building of the Belarusian diplomatic mission in Benghazi that will be officially opened in the near future.
Mr. Hamad’s office said the visit represented a “key milestone” aimed to explore opportunities for a “strategic partnership” between the two countries. It would also finalize the “implementation of agreements reached during the meeting between President Alexander Lukashenko and his Prime Minister, on one hand, and the Commander-in-Chief of the LNA, on the other, in Minsk in February.
The meetings in Benghazi led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding that covered cooperation in several fields including:
In the field of agriculture and food security, Belarus would provide for comprehensive range of agricultural machinery, equipment, supplying seeds and crop processing. This is in addition to equipment that supports harvesting, transportation, storage, production operations and food processing.
In the industrial sector, Belarus will be supplying Libya trucks, firefighting equipment, emergency rescue equipment, garbage trucks, buses and other equipment as the need may rise.
In the field of geological exploration services, modern technological means will be provided to develop natural resource extraction operations, in addition to supplying machinery and equipment used in the mining industry.
In the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector, both parties agreed that Belarus would supply medicine, medical equipment and consumables, the training of physicians and medical personnel, establishing hospital management systems, training technicians in medical equipment maintenance, and treating Libyan citizens in medical institutions in the Republic of Belarus.
In the field of education, the parties agreed that they would cooperate in human resources development drive including at the university level and at the level of vocational education institutions in Belarus. Libya is indeed in dire need for vocational modern training for its younger generation who are affected by unemployment.
In the field of security and preservation of public order as well as preventing natural disasters, both parties would rely on exchange of expertise and the supply of needed equipment, the statement said.
Also, both parties agreed to establish a joint contact group to coordinate cooperation and monitor the implementation of agreements concluded between them. They also agreed to establish clear mechanisms for achieving actual progress in priority areas of cooperation by means of identifying the bodies authorized to develop and implement joint projects and prepare roadmaps for bilateral agreements, contracts, and action plans.
By the look of this bilateral engagement and the discussions involved, it seems the Libyan side is aware of what would it take to embark on a reconstruction and development drive of a country that for many decades has been unable to provide for itself or achieve any developmental goals.
An observer who is familiar with the reconstruction efforts in eastern Libya, who declined to be named, told The Tripoli Post that the government of Osama Hamad does welcome any foreign company that is prepared to take part in these rebuilding efforts. “Beside security and stability, Libya needs support in all sectors,” he added.
