Belarus and Togo have signed an agreement abolishing visas for holders of diplomatic and service passports. The document was signed by Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhankou and Togo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration and Togolese Abroad Robert Dussey.
The Foreign Ministry said that a memorandum of understanding between the foreign ministries of the two countries on holding political consultations was also signed.
The Belarusian delegation included representatives of the Industry Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry.
During the talks, Ryzhankou and Dussey discussed prospects for bilateral relations and agreed to intensify cooperation. Belarus considers Togo among its priority partners on the African continent and as an important logistics hub for access to Sahel markets.
The sides identified priority tasks, including preparation of agreements on avoidance of double taxation and on protection of investments, as well as the development of a cooperation “roadmap.” The Belarusian side handed over to the Togolese side draft agreements between the chambers of commerce and industry, in the areas of agriculture and export lending.
The parties also discussed cooperation in the humanitarian and scientific-technical spheres, primarily in education and high technologies. Ryzhankou outlined the opportunities of Belarusian education, the activities of the High Technology Park and the potential of the National Academy of Sciences.
Ryzhankou invited Dussey to visit Belarus.
The Belarusian minister also met with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé. He conveyed to him an invitation to visit Belarus from Alyaksandr Lukashenka. It was noted that the invitation was accepted with gratitude, and the dates of the visit will be agreed through diplomatic channels.
The visit program continued with talks with Togo’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Sovereignty Antoine Lékpa Gbegbeni. An agreement was reached to develop a specific mechanism aimed at ensuring access for Belarusian food products to the Togolese market. Comprehensive solutions in agricultural mechanization were proposed.
“At the conclusion of the meeting, the process of obtaining conformity certificates for access of Belarusian food products to Togo was completed. The Belarusian side handed over detailed informational materials to the Togolese colleagues for further study in order to move the agreements reached into practical implementation,” the Foreign Ministry said.
On the previous day, Ryzhankou also visited a bus depot in Lomé where Belarusian-made vehicles are in operation.
