Alexander Lukashenko approved the strategies for Belarus's participation in the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS
The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko approved the strategies for Belarus's participation in the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS. The Belarusian side places great hopes on cooperation within these organizations. Belarus became a full member of the SCO family in the summer of 2024 and then was among the first to formalize its status as a partner state of BRICS.
It is important to note that this year the country also holds the presidency in the Eurasian Economic Union. The priorities of the Belarusian presidency were announced on the first day of 2025. This is an important mission, especially against the backdrop of emerging new challenges and attempts at external sanctions pressure.
All together, these platforms provide a wide range of new tools and opportunities for the development of international cooperation and strengthening Belarus's positions on the world stage. Therefore, it is important to clearly define the goals and objectives for the foreseeable future, steadfastly following national interests. Both strategies approved by the President are designed for five years until 2030. They may be extended, updated, and revised in light of various current trends.
On the goals and objectives in the SCO
— Belarus views the SCO as a regional organization that contributes to the establishment of a multipolar, fair, and stable world order based on universally recognized principles of international law, possessing high potential for increasing mutually beneficial trade, economic, and investment cooperation, and developing cultural and humanitarian interaction, — the document states.
The strategy defines the conceptual directions of activity, goals, and objectives of Belarus's participation in the SCO and the mechanisms for their implementation in the near and medium-term perspectives.
Belarus's participation in the SCO is oriented towards the country's foreign policy and foreign economic interests.
The Strategy defines the main goals of Belarus's participation in the activities of the SCO:
- ensuring the protection of the state interests of the Republic of Belarus at the multilateral level;
- creating favorable external conditions that ensure the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security of the Republic of Belarus;
- sustainable development of the Republic of Belarus in political, economic, social, cultural, and other areas;
- promoting comprehensive and balanced economic growth, social and cultural development in the region through joint actions based on equal partnership aimed at steadily improving the living standards and conditions of life of the peoples of the SCO member states.
Priority tasks aimed at achieving the stated goals in Belarus's activities within the SCO are also listed:
- increasing the international authority of the Republic of Belarus as a peace-loving state, an active participant in international cooperation;
- promoting coordinated approaches of member states, observers, and partners of the SCO on key issues of world politics on international platforms;
- creating an indivisible security space, jointly countering traditional and new challenges and threats to the security of participating states, including extremism, terrorism, and separatism in all its manifestations, the illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons, other types of transnational criminal activities, illegal migration, challenges in cyberspace, as well as in the field of prevention and elimination of emergency situations;
- deepening practical trade, economic, financial, and investment cooperation, as well as joint project activities within the SCO;
- expanding cultural and humanitarian cooperation, including in the fields of science, technology, and innovation, education, healthcare, sports, environmental protection, as well as developing interpersonal connections.
On cooperation in BRICS
— In the current geopolitical conditions, BRICS is an authoritative international platform that unites the efforts of the global majority aimed at forming genuine multipolarity, equality, and inclusiveness in international relations, and finding effective ways to address pressing issues, — the Strategy notes.
Following the XVI BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024, the BRICS Partnership format was established, and criteria for partner countries were adopted. Belarus formalized its status as a partner state of BRICS based on the invitation received.
According to the document, the goal of Belarus's participation in BRICS activities is to actively engage in the work of existing multilateral mechanisms of the Union, taking into account the further institutional development of BRICS. Interaction at this stage is expected to be carried out considering the opportunities provided by the status of a partner state, while maintaining the ultimate goal of obtaining full membership in the Union.
Priority areas of interaction between Belarus and BRICS member states and partner countries are defined as follows:
- cooperation in the fields of politics and security based on the principles of mutual respect, indivisible security, and guarantees of country development without confrontation and opposition;
- sustainable economic development aimed at preserving and enhancing human potential, ensuring high social standards and a decent quality of life, implementing innovations and cutting-edge technologies;
- ensuring global food security, combating hunger, poverty, and the consequences of climate change;
- expanding multilateral cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.