Business news

MOSCOW, 12 July (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia’s Sverdlovsk Oblast intend to raise the mutual trade turnover up to $0.5 billion soon. The goal is stipulated by the protocol signed after the session of the Belarus-Sverdlovsk Oblast business cooperation council in Yekaterinburg on 12 July, the press service of the Embassy of Belarus in Russia told BelTA.

The document calls for joint efforts to raise the mutual trade to over $500 million per annum through mutually beneficial projects, by setting up joint manufacturing enterprises, and by implementing import substitution programs. “I think we should reach the $0.5 billion trade volume within the next two to three years. Moreover, we have clear and understandable areas to work on,” said Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko, who led the Belarusian delegation during the session.

During the session of the Belarus-Sverdlovsk Oblast business cooperation council it was noted that Belarus is ready to advance manufacturing cooperation and create new enterprises in various industries. The options include the establishment of an enterprise to process fuel, the production of peat machines, including the production of peat bricks and nourishing soils. Belarus also suggested considering jointly making veterinary medications.

Belarus is ready to sell a wide choice of agricultural and mining machines, lifts, and equipment to Sverdlovsk Oblast. Apart from that, upon the request of the Belarusian side Sverdlovsk Oblast Acting Governor Yevgeny Kuivashev gave instructions to the regional government to enable direct food supplies from Belarus to the local retail chains.

The sides will have their work cut out for them in education and culture. Joint educational projects, education programs for agriculture, power engineering, and other industries will allow sharing the best practices and making a serious contribution to raising personnel qualifications. All these agreements are stipulated by the protocol signed by Vladimir Semashko and Yevgeny Kuivashev.

In the presence of Vladimir Semashko and Yevgeny Kuivashev documents were signed to stipulate that the Russian turbine manufacturer Ural Turbine Works will take part in power engineering modernization projects in Belarus, including the reconstruction of Minsk cogeneration plant No.3 and Grodno cogeneration plant No.2. Apart from that, the company signed two contracts with the Belarusian energy industry design institute Belnipienergoprom and the Belarusian energy equipment repair and installation company Belenergoremnaladka.