ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on his official visit to Belarus signed 18 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, on Monday.

The MoUs cover the sectors of information, culture, education, scientific cooperation, information technology, forestry and agriculture.

An MoU was also signed declaring Islamabad and Minsk as sister cities.

“It is heartening to see that both countries have opened their resident missions at ambassadorial level in the two capitals. Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Belarus,” said the prime minister.

“The dynamic leadership of President Lukashenko has propelled the relationship between Pakistan and Belarus to new heights,” added the premier.

“By working together we can unlock the vast potential of mutually beneficial cooperation in industrial and agricultural sectors. We had a productive round of talks, and matters related to trade, industry, agriculture and investment were discussed in detail,” elaborated Nawaz Sharif.

Matters related to terrorism and narcotics were also discussed on the occasion, and both countries agreed to work together for the shared objective of peace and prosperity in the region.

Pak-Belarus joint ventures in various sectors were also discussed upon.

“We want bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in all fields,” said the president of Belarus.

“We would also like to participate in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. Pakistan has a good friend in Belarus,” stated Lukashenko.

The prime minister said on the occasion that he was grateful for the warm hospitality extended to him and members of his delegation.

The prime minister left for Belarus on a three-day official visit earlier on Monday.

During the visit, the premier was scheduled to have a one-on-one meeting with president of Belarus followed by delegation-level talks.

Earlier in May, the president of Belarus visited Pakistan in the first ever visit of the kind.

Take a look: Pakistan, Belarus vow to enhance bilateral ties.

A number of important agreements and MoUs were signed during the visit. The agreements and MoUs focused on agriculture machinery, tractor plant, milk and dairy industry.

Pakistan and Belarus enjoy cordial relations, with Belarus establishing its resident mission in Islamabad in November last year.

President Lukashenko's visit helped in strengthening the existing ties between the two countries.