MINSK, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The gross domestic product (GDP) of Belarus increased by 2.4 percent year on year in 2017, Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said Tuesday.

The official said at a cabinet meeting that Belarus' GDP growth reaches 2.4 percent in 2017 while the forecast was 1.7 percent.

The government managed to reach the economic growth parameters specified by the five-year program and compensated for the lag of 2016, he added.

Kobyakov stressed that the key tasks of balanced economy growth is increasing and diversifying export, raising investments, and creating jobs primarily in the small and medium business sector.