Business news

Belarus, Russia urged to restore pre-COVID-19 level of transportation service
"Perhaps, we could consider resuming business travel to begin with. This will give an additional impetus to inter-regional contacts and send a good message to the business community"...

PM: Belarus-Russia trade is poised for uptick
"In January-February Belarus’ merchandise export to Russia rose by about 5%, and Russia’s export to Belarus increased by nearly 25%"...

Minsk Motor Plant doubles supplies to Russia in Q1 2021
In 2021 Minsk Motor Plant plans to continue developing its distribution network in Russia in two directions: engines and spare parts, as well as special machinery. Exports are planned to increase by 11%...

BelAZ to open Innovation Competence Center at Saint Petersburg Mining University
The BelAZ Innovation Competence Center will use the best technological solutions in engineering, digital and information technology in the mining industry. The center will help the university improve educational, scientific and practical training of students and also BelAZ customers undergoing advanced training courses at the university...

Belarus approves Sputnik V vaccine bottled at Belmedpreparaty
The decision is based on the findings of a comprehensive expert assessment of the registration dossier materials by the Center for Examinations and Tests in Health Service and the National Research Center for Microbiology and Epidemiology...

Prices for 55% of goods regulated in Belarus
"It is a temporary system meant to reduce the inflation spike caused by the introduction of the VAT, the growth of world prices for food and raw materials. It is delicate work because we have to ensure the financial stability of enterprises (manufacturers, retailers, importers), the availability of a broad range of goods on store shelves. We also have not to worsen the situation with payments for the goods being delivered"...

Belarus’ gold, forex reserves expected to exceed $6bn by 2021 year-end
“Taking into account the fulfillment of external or internal obligations, gold and foreign exchange reserves stood at $6.9 billion as of 1 April. At the end of the year, taking into account projected receipts and payments, we expect the reserves to exceed $6 billion. This will be equal to two months of imports of goods and services,” Pavel Kallaur said...

Belarus ready to help Azerbaijan with reconstruction of Karabakh region
Ruslan Parkhamovich said that Belarus attaches special importance to the development of bilateral trust-based ties with Azerbaijan. The minister emphasized that Belarus is ready to support Azerbaijan in its construction and restoration work in the Karabakh region. Belarusian designers and experts are ready to participate in Azerbaijan's urban development processes...

Opinion: Belarus’ Gomel Oblast, Russia’s Bryansk Oblast need to strengthen industrial cooperation
“Undoubtedly, there are great prospects for the construction industry in both the regions, as evidenced by the composition of our delegation, which included the heads of the largest construction organizations of Gomel Oblast,” said the Gomel Oblast governor. He stressed that Gomel builders have already been actively constructing housing in Kaluga and Kursk regions...

Uzbekistan’s delegation visits educational center of Belarus’ Emergencies Ministry
During the visit to the educational center, the delegation of Uzbekistan also got familiar with work of more than 30 interactive facilities that use modern information technology, digital environment, augmented and virtual reality, which helps students immerse in the environment that imitates emergency situations...

Belneftekhim, SOCAR to expand cooperation
The memorandum provides for expansion of opportunities of the parties in the production and sale of oil and petroleum products. The main areas of cooperation are focused on improving interaction in the organization of Azerbaijani oil supplies to Belarus, and also the activation of the dialogue between producers and consumers of hydrocarbon resources...

Belarus’ GDP growth estimated at 0.6-0.8% in Q1 2021
The data on the manufacturing industry has already been processed. The growth rate was over 9%. Positive dynamics was reported in tool engineering, mechanical engineering, and pharmaceutics...

Belarus-China exchange trade at $7.5m in Q1 2021
Belarusian companies not only sell their products to China, but also buy Chinese goods via BUCE. The most popular exports to China are sawn timber, rapeseed oil, and milk powder. There are plans to launch sales of Belarusian sugar to China on BUCE. In turn, Belarusian companies import metal products from China...

Belarus’ refinancing rate to go up to 8.5% on 21 April
"In late 2020, inflation processes accelerated, which was caused by the transfer to prices of the occurred weakening of the Belarusian ruble, as well as supply shocks in the markets of certain food products. At the start of 2021, inflation continued to accelerate under the influence of further increases in world prices for food products, as well as for imported non-food goods"...

Lukashenko invites Azerbaijan to advance cooperation in oil industry
During the meeting the Belarusian head of state thanked his Azerbaijani counterpart for supporting Belarus in the delivery of crude hydrocarbons...

Belarus, Iran discuss trade, economic cooperation
The organization of the regular meetings of the joint Belarusian-Iranian commissions on cooperation in the field of higher education, science and technologies was also discussed during the meeting...

Belarus’ Gomel Oblast, Russia's Bryansk Oblast to discuss cooperation
The Gomel delegation will be headed by Gomel Oblast Governor Gennady Solovey. He is scheduled to meet with Bryansk Oblast Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz to talk about the further development of inter-regional ties. Representatives of construction companies, Gomselmash mechanical engineering company will join the discussion...

Belarus-Azerbaijan trade in agricultural goods 3.5 times up in last five years
The sides discussed further development of trade and economic relations between the countries, in particular, an increase in mutual trade and the expansion of the choice of traded agricultural goods. Interaction in the area of veterinary control, crop farming, pedigree cattle husbandry, agrarian education, and scientific potential was also discussed...

Belarus to buy 1m tonnes of oil from Azerbaijan in 2021
"Plans are in place to buy one million tonnes of oil. The supplies have been steady. So far, Azerbaijan has delivered 270,000 tonnes. An oil tanker with another 90,000 tonnes is on its way"...

Ganja Automobile Plant eager to assemble over 1,200 Belarusian tractors in 2021
The ambassador described the enterprise operating in the Azerbaijani city of Ganja to assemble Belarusian vehicles and machines as a pillar of the export potential...