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20.03.2013

Lukashenko discusses cooperation plans with Riyada Group chief

SINGAPORE, 20 March (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko met with President of the Riyada Group of Companies Shaikha Dheya bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa in Singapore on 20 March to discuss joint plans, BelTA has learnt.

Alexander Lukashenko noted at the meeting that as far as he is informed on the bilateral joint plans, it was worth going so far to discuss them. In her turn, Shaikha Dheya bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa stressed the two parties had outlined a number of plans for implementation. “We discussed with Vladimir Semashko (First Vice Premier of Belarus – BelTA’s note) the prospects of our joint cooperation and in particular, manufacturing organization and start of joint work,” she said.

Belarus would like to explore new markets for its products. In this regard, the establishment of contacts with Riyada Group of Companies, which is one of the largest in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, is very important for Belarus. At the end of 2012, representatives of Riyada Group visited Belarus to examine the possibilities of shipping goods made by major Belarusian enterprises under international leasing contracts using Islamic finance by Riyada Group of Companies. In particular, there are plans to start delivery of vehicles of Minsk Automobile Plant, Belarusian Auto Works, Amkodor, and Belkommunmash, to start assembling passenger vehicles in Oman, and set up joint food production facilities. In addition, Riyada Group of Companies expressed interest in involving Belarusneft in oil and gas projects in the Middle East.

Shaikha Dheya bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa is involved in management of more than 30 joint ventures in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Her Highness is a member of the Board of Directors of the private investment firm Sun Capital Investment (with capitalization at $8 billion), a partner of the Saudi Investment Bank (over $13 billion in assets). In 2012 Forbes Magazine ranked her 77th among the most influential women of the Arab world. She is a Member of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Bahrain.