Lukashenko: Political capital in Africa needs to be monetized into mutually beneficial projects
October 30, 2025
Political capital in Africa must be monetized into mutually beneficial projects. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated this on October 30 at a meeting on the development of cooperation with African countries, a BELTA correspondent reports.
The head of state noted that all African countries currently account for only 2% of Belarus's total exports (for comparison, for the first 8 months of last year, this figure was 1.9%). This is despite the fact that the geography of Belarusian presence in the region has expanded. Until 2019, cooperation was mainly with North African countries: Egypt, Libya, and Sudan. Now, significant political capital has been built with Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Uganda, Botswana, Ghana, and Mozambique are showing interest in intensifying joint work.
- Lukashenko sets ambitious tasks for work in Africa
- Lukashenko demands to fight for its consumer in key markets despite the difficult situation
"You know how to monetize political capital into mutually beneficial projects," Alexander Lukashenko stated, addressing the participants of the event. According to him, a corresponding algorithm has been worked out within the framework of the agricultural mechanization program in Zimbabwe. Now, successful cooperation with Nigeria is proceeding according to the same scheme. In total, over 5,000 units of Belarusian agricultural and special machinery have already been supplied there, personnel training is being conducted, and service centers are being established. There are plans to create assembly plants. "We all understand how to do it, but we are doing it very slowly," the President noted.
"Question to those present: which country will be next and when will we start?" he continued. The head of state noted, in particular, Algeria's readiness to bring relations to a qualitatively new level, backing them up with serious projects. "On the eve of the visit, we will see what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the government will offer," said Alexander Lukashenko. "I expect to discuss substantive steps and specific economic tasks with President Tebboune in the very near future." By the way, Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov recently visited this African country. "Are we late in Algeria with our products or not?" asked the Belarusian leader.