Webinar “Diagnosis for Belarusian Economy – 2023”

The Belarusian economy has been under EU sectoral sanctions for more than two years. After a significant decline last year, it embarked on a path to recovery in 2023. Key macroeconomic indicators do not appear alarming and there has been no sign of things getting out of control.

However, the optimistic statistics released by the Belarusian authorities conceal systemic problems that hinder the development of entire sectors of the economy and widen the gap between Belarus and other countries in the region.

Against this background, FES and the Center for New Ideas (CNI) conducted the expert webinar “Diagnosis for Belarusian Economy 2023” within the framework of our joint project “Building Foreign Expert Capacity on Belarus”.

The following issues were addressed:
- How do sanctions effect an increase of Russian control over Belarus’ economy?
- Have Minsk’s plans to diversify its trade been achieved?
- To what extent does China serve as a substitute to the Western markets?
- How is Belarus navigating sanctions, and to what extent is it assisting Russia in doing so?
- Does the EU still maintain leverage over the Belarusian economy?

A SUMMARY OF THE EVENT can be found here:  https://newbelarus.vision/diagnosis-for-the-belarusian-economy/

Nota Bene:
FES and CNI joint project 'Building Foreign Expert Capacity on Belarus’ seeks to establish a global expert network on Belarus, comprising highly experienced professionals from around the world. These experts will collaborate to develop a comprehensive analysis that addresses military, political, and economic challenges. By doing so, they will provide international stakeholders with pragmatic and strategic approaches to dealing with the situation.

The experts involved in the project will work together to generate a set of viable policy proposals for resolving the Belarusian crisis. They will accomplish this by preparing policy briefs, organizing expert discussions, and presenting a diverse range of expert opinions on the most pressing and contentious issues within the Belarusian political landscape. Additionally, they will explore various options aimed at reversing Belarus's downward spiral and promoting progress towards democratic changes in the country.