In the face of growing international sanctions, Belarus has defiantly charted a new course, building its economic fortitude and strengthening ties with major multinational organizations. President Alexander Lukashenko proclaimed this plan of action at the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting in Moscow, with an underlying ambition to cultivate a comprehensive economic union void of barriers and restrictions.
Charting new routes amid economic headwinds
The West’s stringent sanctions have tested Belarus’s resilience in recent years. But rather than succumbing, Belarus has opted to deepen its involvement within global spheres of influence, specifically targeting the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). President Lukashenko envisages fostering new trade agreements and nurturing mutually beneficial cooperation with these partners.
“We are intensifying cooperation within the SCO, BRICS, and ASEAN as our response to sanctions,” Lukashenko noted. “Our intention is to engage in constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation with everybody interested in being our friends and partners.”
While recognizing the complexity of maintaining a balance of interests among all involved parties, President Lukashenko expressed confidence in his commission’s ability to manage this challenge successfully. He stated, “It is not an easy task, but I am sure the commission has the necessary skills and competencies to do that.”
Laying the foundations of a comprehensive economic union
Simultaneously, President Lukashenko laid out a grand vision for an extensive economic union. He emphasized that creating a barrier-free and restriction-free economic sphere should be a top priority, asserting that this is a fundamental principle in constructing such a union.
“Creating a comprehensive economic union remains our priority,” President Lukashenko declared. “There should be no barriers and no restrictions at all. We must reach this target as soon as possible.”
Lukashenko’s ambitions reflect a broader trend of the world grappling with a transition period from a unipolar management system to a multipolar one. Within this context, Belarus aims to solidify its position as a responsible center in the new multipolar world order.
The current era of uncertainty, brought about by recurrent financial, pandemic, and geopolitical crises, has underscored the need for nations to seek stability through influential regional and international organizations. As such, Belarus’s intensified alliances with the SCO, BRICS, and ASEAN could be strategic steps toward achieving economic stability amid the changing global landscape.
