On April 24, 2019 the Cooperation Agreement was signed between the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade (MART) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) within the framework of the Memorandum of understating between MART and IFC.

For reference: Since 2018, the Republic of Belarus has been implementing the current IFC Advisory program to improve the business environment with the support of the European Union and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). IFC provides advisory services to the Government to promote the development of the private sector in Belarus, including by strengthening market competition.

According to the Agreement, the preparation and implementation of the Competition Development Program in the Republic of Belarus (the Program) and Road maps for the development of competition in certain sectors of the economy are defined as the strategic direction of cooperation between MART and IFC. The purpose of the Program – the formation and development of a competitive environment and attracting investment, which ultimately will serve as an additional impetus for the sustainable development of the Republic of Belarus economy in the long term.

Implementing the measures stipulated by the Protocol of Intent between the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade (MART) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a visit of experts from the World Bank Group in the field of competition policy took place on March 19-21, 2019 to discuss ongoing teamwork on the preparation of the draft Program for the Development of Competition in the Republic of Belarus.

On March 12, 2019, a meeting of the Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Koltovich with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in the Republic of Belarus Armen Ghevondyan was held.

During the meeting, promising areas for the development of bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed, the potential in increasing the Belarusian-Armenian trade was noted.

On February 27, 2019, a solemn ceremony of signing the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the protection of competition (hereinafter - the Agreement) was held at the Federal Antimonopoly Service (Moscow).

The purpose of the Agreement is to create a legal framework for the cooperation of the antimonopoly authorities of the two countries in identifying and preventing violations of antitrust laws, including from economic entities of third countries.