The 4th Eurasian Economic Forum has opened in Minsk, timed to coincide with a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council attended by the heads of state from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
The event is taking place under Belarus' chairmanship of the EAEU bodies in 2025. The main theme of the forum is “Strategy for Eurasian Economic Integration: Results and Prospects”. So far, 2,700 participants from 33 countries have registered. This year, the forum is being held at the Minsk International Exhibition Center.
Key Events
On the eve of the forum's official opening, the EAEU Business Council Presidium held a meeting.
The forum’s main panel discussions, taking place on June 26, are grouped into five core areas:
— Quality of the EAEU internal market
— Digital transformation
— Eurasian connectivity
— Strategic development
— Technological potential and cooperation
A sixth block of events, held on the sidelines of the forum, covers topics such as competition and antitrust regulation, trade, technical standards, financial policy, transport, and energy. A roundtable will also take place focusing on promoting a positive image of the EAEU.
According to Maxim Ermolovich, EAEU Minister for Competition and Antitrust Regulation, the forum includes nearly 290 speakers and experts from 26 countries. He emphasized the scale of the event, noting it will address the full current agenda of the EAEU and provide a comprehensive discussion of integration prospects, involving governments, experts, academics, and business representatives.
The forum’s highlight will be a plenary session with the EAEU heads of state titled “Strategy for Eurasian Economic Integration: Results and Prospects”, where national leaders will share their views on regional development, trade, economic and financial cooperation, and the global situation.
It is expected that two agreements on trade and economic cooperation will be signed:
— Between the EAEU and Mongolia
— Between the EAEU and the United Arab Emirates
International Participation
The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will convene on June 27. All EAEU member states’ leaders have confirmed attendance in person, except for Armenia’s Prime Minister, who will join via video link.
Ahead of the forum, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez arrived in Belarus on an official visit and met with President Alexander Lukashenko to discuss expanding cooperation.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev confirmed his participation. The arrival of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also been announced. Delegations from Mongolia, the UAE, Nicaragua, and Myanmar are expected as well.
Preparation and Organization
According to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, more than 450 journalists from 12 countries have been accredited to cover the events.
A week before the forum, President Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting to review final preparations. Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Natalia Petkevich noted that the summit’s agenda includes 14 specific issues and emphasized Lukashenko's position that integration initiatives should be as practical and results-oriented as possible.
Minsk is chairing the EAEU in 2025. In December 2024, at the previous summit, President Lukashenko proposed hosting the next meeting of EAEU leaders in Minsk, alongside the economic forum. According to a resolution by the Council of Ministers, the Eurasian Economic Forum is scheduled for June 26–27 in the Belarusian capital.
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Photo: Zedlik/Creative Commons 3.0
Based on materials from TASS