New friend

• 25.06.2012, 10:48

Belarus has established an embassy in Nigeria.

Speaking on the move on Sunday, Belarus' ambassador to Nigeria, Vyacheslav Beskosty, said it was part of efforts to further boost bilateral co-operation between the two countries.

Beskotsy said Nigeria and Belarus had in the past 20 years been co-operating at the level of international organisations such as the UN.

"We have been supporting each other’s candidates in various committees at the UN and other bodies," he said.

The envoy added that both nations had been involved in trade and investment with the volume standing at 97.3 million dollars in 2011.

According to him, the figure accounts for rubber, cocoa and leather imports from Nigeria, while Belarus’ exports were in fertiliser, oil products and printing.

He listed new areas of co-operation to include education and culture, saying that at least 500 Nigerian students were studying privately in Belarus.

"We are interested in investment and will be partnering with Bauchi State to assemble Belarusian tractors," he said.

"Bauchi already has a factory for this. It is a very good site. Since they will be locally produced, the tractors will be affordable."

He said the partnership will also include technical assistance and capacity-building for Nigerians.

Beskosty also listed Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe as the possible locations for a 200 million dollar electricity project by a Belarusian company, MG Motors.

With the establishment of an embassy in Abuja, Belarus now has four missions in Africa located in Libya, Egypt and South Africa.