Ambassador Extraordinary of Belarus Evgueni Sobolevski spoke to Ahram Online in an exclusive interview, highlighting strategic visits, intergovernmental commissions, and shared international visions; both countries are consistently converting foundational agreements into practical content across industrial, financial, and cultural sectors.

Ahram Online: As the newly arrived ambassador to Cairo, what are the core pillars of your diplomatic agenda across Egypt, North Africa, the Middle East, and regional bodies like the Arab League?

Ambassador Sobolevski: The work of the Belarusian Embassy in Cairo extends far beyond the Belarusian-Egyptian relationship, covering Algeria, Libya, Oman, Sudan, and the League of Arab States. Our vibrant agenda focuses on high-level visits, institutional collaboration, trade expansion, and developing industrial and production hubs.

Regarding Egypt, next year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties. A strong foundation built on personal trust and “chemistry” between our leaders continues to drive dynamic bilateral relations. We are committed to open dialogue and long-term, balanced cooperation spanning industry, logistics, finance, high technology, medicine, education, and humanitarian projects.

In Algeria, following the Belarusian President's 2025 visit, key joint economic projects were initiated, with concrete results expected by late 2027 as Algeria becomes a regional backbone.
For Libya, our Embassy assumed responsibility in June 2026, developing constructive ties through product supplies as well as partnerships in education and healthcare.

With Oman, historic reciprocal presidential and royal visits in 2024–2025 elevated relations to a new level. We are actively establishing a Belarusian hub and joint ventures in industry and agriculture, leveraging Oman’s strategic logistics network connecting Asia and Africa.

Sudan remains a traditional partner where we are expanding supplies of agricultural machinery and exploring participation in national restoration and reconstruction projects.
Finally, our dialogue with the League of Arab States and the Arab Parliament remains active across political, agricultural, scientific, and technological domains through regular consultations and mutual visits.

AO: Following the historic visits between Presidents El-Sisi and Lukashenko, how do you assess progress in executing their directives ahead of the inaugural High-Level Commission?

Ambassador Sobolevski: Political dialogue is developing quite actively. The President of Belarus visited Egypt three times – in 1998, 2017, and 2020. The President of Egypt, in his turn, made an official visit to Belarus in 2019. The sides are working to organize the next highest-level meeting. Such a meeting requires serious preparation, including the implementation of previously reached agreements.

Intensive work at the government level is a crucial stage. Thus, in May of this year, the 8th meeting of the Belarusian-Egyptian Joint Trade Commission was held in Minsk, where new areas of economic cooperation were identified. In July, a meeting between the heads of the central banks of Belarus and Egypt took place in St. Petersburg.

The next important stage could be the 1st meeting of the High-Level Commission on Political Dialogue and Bilateral Cooperation chaired by the foreign ministers of our countries. This instrument is one of the key elements in preparing the ground for the highest-level visit.

Parliamentary cooperation is developing dynamically. In May 2025, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus paid a return visit to Egypt.

Thus, an intense agenda demonstrates that our relations are not stagnating. On the contrary, agreements reached at the highest level are being consistently implemented, and cooperation between Belarus and Egypt is gaining new practical content.

AO: How are Cairo and Minsk coordinating within the UN to uphold state sovereignty, and how can both leverage Egypt’s BRICS membership to support the Global South?

Ambassador Sobolevski: In the context of the emerging multipolar world, coordination between Minsk and Cairo is based on converging positions on key issues on the global agenda. Supporting a just world order, our countries are building a strategic partnership both at the universal UN platform and through new global governance institutions, primarily BRICS.

Belarus and Egypt actively cooperate within international organizations, particularly in promoting the unacceptability of politicizing human rights issues,the imposition of unilateral restrictive measures against states without resorting to international legal mechanisms, and other topics.

Within the BRICS framework, our actions are largely synchronized: Belarus became a BRICS partner the same year Egypt became a member of this organization. The sides are fully utilizing all cooperation formats within BRICS. For Belarus and Egypt, this platform offers a wide range of tools and opportunities for developing international cooperation and strengthening the positions of both countries on the global stage.

Furthermore, BRICS’s position on multilateral cooperation is consistent with the Eurasian Charter on Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century, proposed by the President of the Republic of Belarus.

AO: Ahead of the Joint Trade Commission, what are your key trade targets, and what steps are being taken to establish direct interbank cooperation?

Ambassador Sobolevski: I consider the 8th meeting of the Belarusian-Egyptian Joint Trade Commission, held in Minsk this May, as an important step in the transition from simple trade to industrial cooperation. In the context of global market restructuring, Minsk and Cairo are committed to deepening industrial cooperation. The groundwork for this was laid in previous decades. The main economic vector– is not simply selling ready-made Belarusian equipment, but localizing production in Egypt. The parties are also working to diversify mutual supplies: Belarus is purchasing Egyptian pharmaceuticals, textiles, citrus fruits and chemical products. In return, Cairo is increasing its imports of Belarusian industrial, wood processing and food products.

The parties are working to resolve all technical barriers in mutual trade. For example, Egypt is actively using its status in the BRICS New Development Bank to promote project financing. The idea is for major investment and infrastructure projects (for example, modernization of Egyptian factories using Belarusian technology) to be financed through BRICS institutions in the currencies of the participating countries, which would automatically eliminate the problem of commercial interbank transfers.

AO: What are the plans to localize Belarusian heavy machinery in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) to jointly target the AfCFTA market?

Ambassador Sobolevski: Given the discussion of these issues during the 8th meeting of the Belarusian-Egyptian Joint Trade Commission (Minsk, May 6, 2026), as well as the current situation, establishing assembly facilities jointly with Egyptian partners within the domestic investment regime or FEZ, including the Suez Canal Economic Zone (if potential partners have relevant production facilities in such zones) appears promising. For example, projects are currently being developed to establish assembly facilities in Egypt for Belarusian MTZ tractors, trucks based on MAZ chassis, and tractor engines from the Minsk Motor Plant.

In addition to direct supplies of tractor and machine kits, the implementation of these projects would also make economic sense through the use of integrated sales tools (technology transfer for the assembly of certain models of Belarusian equipment, spare parts sales, service support for assembled equipment, training of local personnel, transfer of necessary software, etc.).
We plan to discuss these projects in detail during upcoming bilateral events.

Cairo is a member of many free trade agreements in Africa and the Middle East, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA). We view Egypt as a gateway to the African continent and the Middle East region. Successful joint assembly of agricultural and other equipment will enable mutually beneficial cooperation in other markets in the region, where Egypt has special trade conditions.

AO: How are you encouraging Belarusian tourists to visit cultural landmarks like the Grand Egyptian Museum, and what is the status of launching direct Minsk-Cairo flights?

Ambassador Sobolevski: Yes, Egypt is indeed very popular in Belarus, primarily as a beach holiday destination. Currently, Egyptian and Belarusian tour operators offer bus tours from resort towns to visit the Egyptian Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. At the same time, to expand opportunities for Belarusian tourists to visit Cairo’s sights, the possibility of launching regular direct flights from Minsk to Cairo is being considered.

Bilateral cooperation in civil aviation between the Republic of Belarus and the Arab Republic of Egypt is regulated by the intergovernmental Agreement on air services dated 16 June 1998.

Currently, Belavia Airlines operates charter flights to Minsk-Hurghada, Minsk-Sharm el-Sheikh, Minsk-El Alamein, Vitebsk-Sharm el-Sheikh, Gomel-Sharm el-Sheikh, and Mogilev-Sharm el-Sheikh. In recent years, the possibility of establishing direct flights between the two capitals by an Egyptian carrier has been under constant discussion with Egyptian aviation authorities. The last contacts with Air Cairo management took place in April 2026. The Belarusian side hopes for a positive decision from Egyptian aviation authorities regarding the establishment of direct air service.