Bilateral meeting with H.E. Aleksander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus

Minsk - The FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, met today with H.E. Aleksander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus, during his bilateral visit to the country to attend the Belagro 2026 agricultural exhibition. The meeting reaffirmed the strong and longstanding partnership between FAO and Belarus, with both sides expressing their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in support of sustainable agrifood systems transformation.

The President welcomed the Director-General and conveyed his appreciation for the constructive collaboration with FAO over the years. He highlighted Belarus’s important role in global food security, underscoring the country’s significant contribution through the export of agricultural products, including fertilizers. In this regard, he emphasized Belarus’s position as one of the world’s major exporters of potassium, which plays a critical role in agricultural productivity worldwide.

The Director-General commended Belarus for its achievements in advancing agricultural productivity while preserving the environment. He commended the country’s efforts to sustainably manage its forests, soil and water resources, demonstrating that increased productivity can go hand in hand with environmental stewardship. He further acknowledged Belarus as a reliable contributor to global agrifood markets.

Both sides discussed the strong technical cooperation between FAO and Belarus, which has intensified over the past decade with active engagement of line ministries, academia and the private sector. The Director-General appreciated the Government’s active participation in FAO’s governing and advisory bodies at regional and global levels.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing sustainable agrifood systems, enhancing food security, and deepening the partnership between FAO and the Republic of Belarus.