Business news

10 Jun 2019

Belarus, Switzerland to expand cooperation in IT

Photo courtesy of the Belarusian Embassy in Switzerland

MINSK, 10 June (BelTA) – Joint projects in IT, investment and manufacturing were discussed during the visit of a Belarusian delegation to Switzerland, BelTA learned from the Belarusian government.

The delegation is led by First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin and includes Mikhail Orda, head of the working group for cooperation with the Swiss parliament at the National Assembly of Belarus, and Vsevolod Yanchevsky, Director of the Hi-Tech Park Administration. The Belarusian delegation met with President of the National Council (parliament) of Switzerland Marina Carobbio Guscetti. The parties noted that the bilateral relations are advancing to a brand-new level. As a result, Switzerland decided to upgrade the Swiss representation in Minsk to a full embassy.

Apart from that, the delegation met with the Federal Councillor, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Guy Parmelin to discuss in detail economic cooperation prospects. The Swiss partners spoke highly of development prospects of the Hi-Tech Park and the IT sector in Belarus. Guy Parmelin suggested focusing on information technology, digitalization of the economy, development and production of hi-tech products during another session of the Belarus-Switzerland joint committee on trade and economic cooperation.

The Belarusian delegation also met with President of the Swiss Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SGV/USAM) Jean-Francois Rime. The Swiss side said it can use its own periodical press to publish information about Belarus and about promising areas of trade and investment cooperation.

Business contacts between Belarus and Switzerland were discussed at the meeting with President of the Swiss association of mechanical and electrical engineering industries Swissmem, Vice President of the Swiss business federation Economiesuisse Hans Hess.

Aleksandr Turchin noted that over 100 companies with Swiss capital run successful businesses in Belarus. He added that the two countries have everything in place to expand cooperation.