Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has extended invitations to Presidents Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe to visit the Belarusian capital of Minsk in the near future, according to the Belarusian president's press office.
The invitations were extended during Lukashenko's separate meeting Wednesday with Nigeria's First Lady Oluremi "Remi" Tinubu and Zimbabwe's Auxillia Mnangagwa, who both arrived in Belarus for the 2024 Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk.
Lukashenko said that the republic is interested in developing cooperation with Nigeria and expressed hope that the President of this country, Bola Tinubu, will be able to pay a visit to Minsk.
"It is very good that you have come. It will be an interesting and very useful beginning of our cooperation. I very much hope that after your visit there will be a visit of both the president and your ministers to Belarus, so that we can begin to cooperate more closely," he told Remi Tinubu.
Lukashenko added, "We are very interested in your country, and I think we will be useful to you."
He asked the Nigerian first lady to convey his best wishes to President Tinubu and "tell him that we are ready to receive him at any time," the Belarusian president said.
During the meeting with the First Lady of Zimbabwe and representatives of Zimbabwean business circles, Lukashenko expressed his determination to implement all agreements with this Southern African country.
"I am very glad that you have come to us on the day of Slavic culture and brought us a small piece of Zimbabwean culture. You know well our attitude towards you and your country, towards your President," he told Auxillia Mnangagwa.
The president noted that he is expecting Zimbabwean leader Emmerson Mnangagwa to visit Belarus, adding, "Please give Emmerson, my long-time friend, my best wishes and our determination to implement our agreements."