Events

MINSK, 9 March (BelTA) – Eighteen new programs of the Union State of Belarus and Russia will be implemented on 2017-2020. The statement was made by Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus Alexander Shumilin during the video briefing on this year’s prospects of Belarusian-Russian scientific cooperation on 9 March, BelTA has learned.

“We are working much harder with Union State programs. We are implementing only seven programs now but concepts of 18 programs have been prepared for 2017-2020 or virtually three times as many,” noted Alexander Shumilin.

The programs will focus on various areas such as nanomaterials, radio electronics, and automobile components. “The latter is a very important area since Belarus and Russia are mechanical engineering countries that make a lot of automobiles and engines, some components of which we still import. The new program on automobile components will allow reducing import as much as possible,” stated the Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus.

Speaking about Union State programs in the area of healthcare, Alexander Shumilin underscored that a very interesting branch is being developed — treatment with stem cells. “It is a unique avenue of research since, for instance, we already have the technology to treat trophic ulcers with stem cells. Developing this branch together with Russia holds a lot of promise,” he concluded.

Research in the area of supercomputers will be developed as well. “We have already created a supercomputer. It is now necessary to utilize it as much as possible. In particular, it can be used to forecast the extraction of mineral resources,” said Alexander Shumilin.