Moscow, 27 January 2022 (TDI): The Treaty on Creation of a Union State of Russia & Belarus celebrated the 21st Anniversary of its entry into Force; on 26 January. The treaty established the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
The main goal is to create a common economic, political, humanitarian, and also cultural space for Russia and Belarus.
THE UNION STATE OF RUSSIA AND BELARUS
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, both countries have a strategic partnership. That partnership is based on the geographic location, close historic and cultural links between both countries and peoples; economic ties, and also cooperation between the Belarusian and Russian businesses.
The heads of state of Russia and Belarus signed in 1999, the Agreement on Establishment of the Union State of Belarus and Russia. According to the Ministry, the Agreement set up the legal basis for integration between the two countries.
Within the agreement, both countries defined a series of important goals for them. The first one is to ensure peaceful and democratic development; then to establish a single economic and customs area and proper legal framework.
The third goal is to ensure sustainable economic development, then to pursue the agreed foreign, defense, and social policies. The final goal is to ensure security and fight against crime.
TRADE AND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN BOTH COUNTRIES
Russia is a key trade partner and also a major export market for Belarusian products. Furthermore, the Ministry mentioned that just in 2020, the mutual trade amounted to $ 29.5 billion, with exports to Russia reaching $ 13.1 billion and imports from Russia of $ 16.4 billion.
According to the Ministry, Russia accounts for 47.9 percent of the Belarusian foreign trade. The cooperation between both countries in terms of energy and its resources has been successful, and also Belarusian contribution to regional energy security is significant.
COOPERATION IN OTHER REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Russia and Belarus support the strengthening of multilateral cooperation and participate actively in other integration projects. For example, both consider the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) as the most advanced integration community in the post-Soviet area.
The EEU helps its member-states to create conditions necessary for the free flow of goods, services, and capital and unimpeded movement of the labor force as well as equal conditions and guaranties for economic agents.
SECURITY AND DEFENSE COOPERATION WITHIN THE AGREEMENT
Russia and Belarus also cooperate widely in the field of security and defense, anti-terrorist activities, fight against crime. Both have signed several bilateral agreements in the field of military and technical cooperation.
One of those examples is the establishment of their joint regional military force, where they coordinate their respective air defense systems; perform joint military exercises, and consider several questions regarding operative and combat training.
Both continue to build a unified crime database in the sphere of the fight against crime. Furthermore, the representatives of both countries take measures to prevent, reveal and suppress crimes, terrorist acts, and human trafficking.
The Ministry uses as an example the joint actions against drug trafficking and illegal migration, that both states perform together.
CULTURAL AND SOCIAL COOPERATION
Russia and Belarus then mentioned that one of their priorities is to make sure that citizens of Belarus and Russia have equal rights. Regarding this, both countries are working to launch a single system of social guarantees and gradually unify national legislation on labor issues.
Moreover, the Belarusian and Russian citizens do not need to undergo passport and customs controls or to receive and fill in a migration card. Regarding their cultural cooperation, the Ministry mentioned that both countries have the annual festival Slaviansky Bazar in Vitebsk; and other projects.
Among those projects, we can find other joint art, theatre, and cinema festivals held annually in both countries.
FURTHER MUTUAL COOPERATION
Belarus and Russia also have joint programs in science, R&D, industry, construction, innovations, new technologies, and IT. According to the Ministry, these other activities form an effective mechanism allowing to fast-track integration between the Belarusian and Russian enterprises.
Finally, the Belarusian-Russian dialogue is a close interaction in all spheres of cooperation that both maintain and develop. The dialogue has the objective of maintaining and developing benefits for the citizens of both countries.
