Business news

MINSK, 28 August (BelTA) – A Belarusian furniture manufacturing facility may be established in Sudan, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom.

A Sudanese delegation led by Petroleum and Gas Minister Osman Abdulrahman visited a proprietary store of the Belarusian furniture maker Pinskdrev and met with Bellesbumprom Chairman Yuri Nazarov on 28 August. Shipments of Belarusian furniture to Sudan were discussed. The first contract has already been signed after a Bellesbumprom delegation visited Sudan in May, said the press service. The Belarusian furniture maker Slonimmebel is about to ship a batch of cabinet furniture made of particleboards to Sudan. During the meeting the sides also talked about possible deliveries of solid wood furniture for major projects and various institutions of the African country. Representatives of the Sudanese woodworking industry expressed interest in setting up a Belarusian furniture enterprise in Sudan. They believe it would reduce logistics costs and will create new jobs in the country.

Osman Abdulrahman praised the quality of Belarusian furniture, the materials and technologies used to make it. The official said: “Our industrialists are interested in studying your experience in the area of woodworking and furniture production. They would be interested in visiting a number of enterprises and getting familiar with the technologies they use. Training personnel for this industry is another important matter. There are no educational institutions specializing in this field in Sudan for now”. Osman Abdulrahman wondered whether such specialists could be trained in Belarus.

According to Yuri Nazarov, training woodworking industry specialists for Sudan in Belarus can be arranged. Bellesbumprom tightly cooperates with the Belarusian State Technological University. “I don’t think there are any problems with educating Sudanese students or specialists here. The concern tightly cooperates with the university and is implementing a number of joint projects. We are ready to provide all kinds of assistance and even arrange on-the-job training for Sudanese specialists at Bellesbumprom enterprises,” he explained.

The Bellesbumprom head suggested forming a delegation of representatives of Sudanese woodworking companies, which are interested in cooperation with Belarusian companies, with a view to visiting Belarusian enterprises, the Belarusian State Technological University and discussing concrete cooperation matters. The sides exchanged contact information, information materials and agreed on organizing the next meeting.

A Sudanese delegation is in Belarus on a visit, which will last through 31 August. Members of the delegation are expected to meet with top officials of both chambers of the Belarusian parliament, the Industry Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Ministry, the Energy Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the Architecture and Construction Ministry, the central bank, the petrochemical concern Belneftekhim, the light industry concern Bellegprom, and the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Sudanese delegation will also be made familiar with accomplishments of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Members of the delegation will negotiate with top officials of the applied science centers for arable farming and animal husbandry. Tours of the Belarusian mechanical engineering companies MTZ, MAZ, and BelAZ will be arranged.