Profile:
Ambassador Andrei Metelitsa is currently on a diplomatic mission in Pakistan. He was appointed in Pakistan on November 19, 2020.
Ambassador Andrei Metelitsa started his professional life by working as a legal adviser in the Ministry of External Economic Relations of Belarus in 1998. Before, starting his diplomatic career.
He graduated with honors from the Law Faculty of the Belarusian State University in Minsk in 1998 and after graduation had several professional training courses in Belarusian and foreign educational institutions.
Mr. Metelitsa has a great knowledge of international law along with this he has fluency in speaking English, Serbian, Russian, and German.
Diplomatic journey:
Andrei Metelitsa joined the diplomatic service in 1999 and since that time he held several positions in the General Directorate of Treaties and Legal Affairs of the MFA in Minsk, as well as in Belarus’s missions abroad.
From 1999-2001, Mr. Andrei Metelitsa remained a key actor in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s mission in Kosovo.
Then he represented Belarus at the Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations in New York between 2005 and 2009.
Later on, served as a Counselor at the Belarusian Embassy in Serbia from 2011 to 2015 before joining the Republic of Belarus’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2020 as the Director-General for Treaties and Legal Affairs.
Read more: Pakistan-Belarus share strong economic, trade, and defense ties
Diplomatic mission in Pakistan:
Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize Belarus after the disintegration of the USSR in 1994. Since then both countries have enjoyed developing and strong diplomatic relations and cooperation in many areas.
Belarusian-Pakistani relations activated significantly after the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan with a residence in Islamabad in November 2014.
Nowadays, through his diplomatic work in Pakistan, Ambassador Andrei Metelitsa continues that legacy.
Ambassador Metelitsa was involved in good relations with Pakistani key officials to facilitate and reinforce cooperation between Belarus and Pakistan in the trade, defense, and development sectors.
In a bid to promote diplomatic cooperation, a Visa Abolishment Agreement for holders of official and diplomatic credentials was reached during his tenure.
Mr. Andrei Metelitsa in October 2023, also signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health, Iftikhar Ali Shalwani to promote health cooperation between both countries.
In the same month, Ambassador Andrie met CM Punjab, Maryam Nawaz and ensured the assistance of Belarus in setting up an assembly plant for the production of tractors at the local level.
In addition to this, Mr. Andrei Metelitsa also offered cooperation on the project of an electric bus in Punjab.
Additionally, Ambassador Andrei Metelitsa is promoting Belarus-Pakistan bilateral trade cooperation as one of his goals.
Mr. Andrei is also extending ties between both countries through educational collaboration between the University of Punjab and other Belarusian universities which is beneficial in promoting public-to-public relations.
In June of this year, Ambassador Andrei held a meeting with the defense minister, Khwaja Mohammad Asif, to highlight the growing relationship between both countries in the defense sector.
Consequently, this defense diplomacy builds mutual trust and aligns with the broader goals of security and stability in bilateral relations.
Ambassador Andrei Metelitsa had also been actively involved in negotiations with other key officials of Pakistan like Chief of Army Staff and the Chief Minister of Sindh in previous years.
In one of his addresses, Ambassador Andrei Metelitsa highlighted the growing relationship between Belarus and Pakistan by saying, “Pak Belarus diplomatic relationship started in 19994 but we have strengthened our bonds further a few years ago”.
Read more: Minister for Commerce Kamal urges Pakistan-Belarus trade boost
Ambassador Metelitsa’s diplomatic style combines practical, hands-on actions with strategic engagement across various sectors and levels of government.
Moreover, his approach shows an emphasis on sustainable, collaborative projects that benefit both Belarus and Pakistan, reflecting a modern, multi-faceted diplomatic method.
