On the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Forum in Minsk, there was a meeting between the co-chairs of the working group on interaction between the EEC
and the Government of Nicaragua: Eldar Alisherov, EEC Minister in charge of Integration and Macroeconomics, and Laureano Ortega Murillo, Adviser to the President of Nicaragua for Investments, Trade and International Cooperation.

"By signing the 2024 Memorandum of Cooperation between the EEC and the Government of Nicaragua, we have taken our dialogue to a qualitatively new level. Our common goal is to coordinate joint efforts to increase and diversify trade and economic cooperation, exchange of experience in sectors of mutual interest, as well as to assist representatives of business circles of the EAEU and Nicaragua in establishing direct interaction," Eldar Alisherov noted.

The co-chairs exchanged information on the work done by the parties since the meeting of the joint working group held at the end of 2024, emphasizing the great potential for developing sectoral dialogue.

In addition, the EEC Minister noted, "Jointly addressing the task of mutually beneficial increase in trade and economic cooperation, it is necessary to get to know each other better, to eliminate the lack of information about commercial opportunities and business environment. Business is the main driver and beneficiary of our dialogue."

Laureano Ortega Murillo said that the agreements reached at the previous meeting of the joint working group in Moscow are being worked out precisely in this context. He also announced that Nicaragua is looking into the issue of obtaining the Observer State status at the EAEU, which confirms its interest in further intensification of trade and economic interaction between Nicaragua, the EAEU Member States and the EEC.

Eldar Alisherov responded by clarifying the procedural matters of obtaining such status.

The co-chairs of the working group acknowledged that in the future it would be advisable for the joint working group to focus on the issues of technical regulation, application of sanitary, phytosanitary and veterinary measures, consumer protection, pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies. Given the factor of geographical remoteness of the EAEU and Nicaragua, it is practical to pay attention to sectors that do not involve high transport costs and issues accompanying the development of digitalization and service provision.

The next full-scale meeting of the joint working group on interaction between the EEC and the Government of Nicaragua is scheduled for the end of this year.