Canada Egypt Business Council hosted an open roundtable discussion on, “Joint areas of Egyptian-Belarusian cooperation and coordination.”

In his opening remarks, Eng. Motaz Raslan; Chairman of Canada Egypt Business Council said: “Egypt and Belarus share a long history of friendship and diplomatic relations, and it is through events like this that we have the privilege of deepening these ties even further. Belarus’s technology sector has made significant strides in nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship. Today, we have the unique opportunity to learn about their experiences and explore potential avenues for partnership that can benefit both nations.”

He added, “Our aim today is to foster an open and constructive dialogue, exchange ideas and explore potential areas of cooperation in various fields, particularly in the realm of technology and innovation.”

As for Ambassador Raouf Saad, the former ambassador of Egypt to several countries, including (Russia, Belarus, and Uzbekistan), he said: “Belarus is one of the countries that has very advanced technology, and has extreme discipline in working to implement development plans. From an economic standpoint, they are very ambitious, and Politically, it is a country that works to establish justice and peace in the world. Technology is the future, and I believe that technology is no longer just a transfer of the required information technologies, but it now controls various industries and all areas of life, including climate change, the environment, the automobile industry, and culture. I think there’s no future in a country without research and development of the latest technologies and the use of digitization. I believe that this new area of ​​cooperation with Belarus is under evaluation and I hope that this will lead to tangible and realistic results that will pave the way for a practical technology partnership. It is not just about obtaining information technology but also about exchanging practical practices and experiences.”

Saad continued, “We have our own technology, and they have their own technology, and I believe that we need to engage in closer and different fields as we have technological centers in both countries that can be harnessed to increase production as we are, and invest history and the present in our relations with the friendly country Belarus.”

From the Belarusian side, H.E. Ambassador Sergei Terentiev, Ambassador of Belarus to Egypt, reviewed ways of cooperation, explaining: “We are very happy to be here… Yes, we have been friends for a long time, and we have over 30 years’ history of relations, but I would like to say that when there are economic technological ties between us, they will be much stronger than those associated with the post-Soviet states. I will present to you our numerous universities specialized in technological development. When I was a university student, we learned the importance of keeping up with global technological development. We explored different fields in which we use modern technology, including industry, agriculture, food security, and education. We also updated and developed modern, high-quality and advanced devices that we will show you later. Therefore, we want to present to you our experience. Not only the results of this work but how this work was done, and when.

He noted, “I have been greatly impressed by what I see here in Egypt in terms of the development of sciences with the digitization of the economy and the advancement of financial technology in various fields. This is a time of discoveries. Yes, I love to explore this country, which is not limited to its great history alone. I aspire to connect with people through modern technology and then enhance aspects of life and leadership. We have a lot to present to you, and there are many things that need to be studied for your benefit.”

On his part, Mr. Alexei Bogdanov, the Minister of Trade and Anti-Monopoly Regulation of Belarus, said, “I express my gratitude to the organizers of this roundtable. Technology and modern advancements are the essence of the contemporary world. In Belarus, we are developing government work through technology, and the same is happening in Egypt. As the Co-Chair of the Belarusian-Egyptian Cooperation Committee, we have a lot to offer today.”

He continued, “The goal of our visit today is to activate all the joint projects agreed upon before the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to work on coordinating new joint projects. One of the modern approaches in dealing with Egypt is the digital revolution. That is why we have invited the Deputy Head of Hi-Tech Park, Belarus which includes over a thousand companies operating in various fields of modern and advanced technology.”

The Minister further stated, “We have key priorities, including enhancing communication between technology companies in Belarus and Egypt, organizing educational programs in this field between the two countries, as well as fostering cooperation in scientific research and advanced laboratories. We are ready to share Belarus’ technological advancements and government achievements with Egypt and engage in joint projects in the digital realm. I believe that such cooperation will strengthen the position of both countries in the modern digital world and enhance their scientific capabilities.”