Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has begun a visit to the United Arab Emirates, BelTA has learned. Meetings with the country's readership and business community will be a continuation of both long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two countries and also the official negotiations with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his first official visit to Belarus in September this year. 

The areas of mutual interest include trade and investment cooperation in various sectors. Taking into account the current level of cooperation, the UAE can act as a gateway for Belarusian goods and services to the markets of other countries in the region. This is especially important in view of the preparations for the Expo 2020 which is to open in Dubai in a year. The expo will feature the national pavilion of Belarus.