Belarus Welcomes Arab Parliament Delegation, President Lukashenko Signals Broad Cooperation
Minsk became a diplomatic crossroads on 20 July 2026 when the Arab Parliament delegation, led by its president Mohamed Ahmed Al‑Yammahi, arrived for the first time in the country. The delegation, comprising parliamentarians from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Libya and Jordan, represented the League of Arab States’ 22 member nations and marked the 32nd anniversary of President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s first inauguration.
In a meeting that underscored the growing ties between Minsk and the Arab world, Lukashenko voiced a clear ambition to deepen practical cooperation. He noted that Belarus already maintains high‑level relations with the UAE, Egypt, Libya and Jordan, and that the country is prepared to extend similar partnerships to other Arab members. "We have a foundation and a strong basis for strengthening our relations: a peaceful approach to resolving any issues and all matters diplomatically at the negotiating table," he told the delegation, according to BelTA.
The president highlighted Belarus’s industrial and social strengths, describing it as a "strong machine‑building country with developed agriculture, healthcare, education, pharmaceutical production, and other sectors." He urged Arab states to broaden their strategic horizons beyond traditional Gulf and European allies, citing the ongoing Iranian conflict as a reminder of the need for diversified cooperation.
Al‑Yammahi expressed gratitude for the meeting and reaffirmed the Arab Parliament’s commitment to inter‑parliamentary cooperation. He said the delegation was eager to sign a memorandum with the Belarusian parliament and to discuss trade, economic cooperation and political interaction. "We discussed trade and economic cooperation, political interaction, and also agreed to make every effort to further intensify our relations," he said, according to the source.
The president also called on Arab states to present a united front on global issues, criticizing the Israeli army’s recent bombardment of Gaza and urging collective defense of shared viewpoints. Belarus has long maintained diplomatic ties with several Arab countries: in 2024 it explored joint ventures in agriculture and logistics with Egypt, continued trade and investment talks with Libya, and focused on technology transfer and energy cooperation with Jordan and the UAE.
The Minsk visit was framed as a step toward formalizing inter‑parliamentary ties. Lukashenko indicated that the Belarusian parliament would support the documents and memorandum the Arab Parliament sought to sign, offering to meet at any time to discuss pressing issues and stressing the importance of a practical dimension to the relationship.
The delegation’s visit is expected to lead to negotiations with the Belarusian House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic on all areas of inter‑parliamentary cooperation. The Arab Parliament’s president affirmed that the partnership would continue to match the high level of Belarus’ relations with Arab countries.
In sum, the 20 July meeting marked a significant milestone in Belarus‑Arab relations, with both sides expressing a shared interest in expanding economic, technological and political collaboration. The next steps will involve drafting and signing a memorandum of cooperation between the two parliaments, signalling a new phase of bilateral engagement.
