Business news

MINSK, 5 May (BelTA) – A Belarusian delegation led by Chairman of the Belarusian state food industry concern Belgospishcheprom Alexander Zabello visited the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New York on 1-5 May, the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BelTA.

Advancing Belarus-USA interregional cooperation and finding ways to export more Belarusian products to the USA were the key goals of the visit.

In Little Rock, Arkansas the Belarusian delegation met with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. Information about opportunities for business and investment cooperation with Mogilev Oblast and Belgospishcheprom enterprises was presented. The sides discussed promising avenues of cooperation with the State of Arkansas, including the possibility of organizing a visit of Arkansas businessmen to Belarus.

An interactive seminar took place in the World Trade Center in Rogers, Arkansas. A presentation of Belarus, the country’s food industry, and individual enterprises was arranged during the seminar for representatives of business circles and the academic community.

Access of Belarusian products to the American market and the possibility of selling Belarusian products via the USA’s top retailers, including Walmart and Sam’s Club, were discussed during the seminar, too.

Negotiations with representatives of the government of Little Rock, Bentonville, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa City were arranged. The establishment of partnership relations with Belarusian cities and possible mutually beneficial contacts in trade, education, and culture were discussed.

Apart from that, an agreement on bilateral business partnership between Little Rock and Mogilev was signed with Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola.

The Belarusian delegation also met with top officials of the chambers of commerce of these cities. The sides reached an agreement on interacting with representatives of the Belarusian business community via the Mogilev branch of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Partnership relations between the chambers of commerce may be established in the future.

An agreement on cooperation was signed as a result of negotiations between the Mogilev branch of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.

On the final day of the visit to the USA the Belgospishcheprom head and representatives of Belgospishcheprom enterprises went to New York for negotiations with partners of Belarusian enterprises in the USA. Members of the Belarusian delegation were made familiar with the operation of retail outlets and visited the outlets where Belarusian products are sold.