By Deniz Cicek and Mustafa Calkaya
ANKARA (AA) – Turkish contractors are ready to carry out all kinds of construction projects in Belarus, the country's agriculture and forestry minister said on Tuesday.
Remarks by Bekir Pakdemirli came during a Turkey-Belarus Business Forum in the Turkish capital Ankara which followed a two-day convention of Turkey-Belarus Joint Economic Commission.
“We have discussed many topics from finance to tourism, contracting investments to agriculture during the commission meeting and we have taken concrete steps for cooperation, ” he said.
Pakdemirli said mineral fuel-oil, chemicals, cosmetics, cleaning equipment, construction products, automotive and heavy machinery industry were potential sectors for investment.
He also said Turkey and Belarus established a joint working group to boost bilateral trade.
Pakdemirli said the bilateral trade volume has increased gradually since 2016, adding however that it was still short of a target of $1 billion trade volume.
“Turkey's exports to Belarus rose 4.2% year-on-year to stand at $439 million while its imports from Belarus increased 5.6% to $193 million in 2018, ” Pakdemirli said.
*Writing by Tuba Sahin
