Opinions & Interviews

GOMEL, 20 April (BelTA) – Belarus-Kazakhstan interregional economic cooperation is promising, Chairman of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Dvornik said during an interregional conference with an official delegation of Pavlodar Oblast, Kazakhstan in Gomel on 20 April, BelTA has learned.

Today’s meeting is another step forward in close cooperation between Pavlodar Oblast and Gomel Oblast. The two regions enjoy long-standing relations though they were officially formalized in November 2016, Vladimir Dvornik pointed out. “Our mutli-vector cooperation with Kazakhstan is based on the country’s foreign policy priorities and mutually beneficial interests. Our top priority is to gradually bolster economic ties,” Vladimir Dvornik underlined.

The trade between the two regions in 2016 and Q1 2017 made up $4 million. Gomel food and industrial products are in demand. Gomel Oblast’s major exports are milk and condensed cream, railway equipment, metal goods, tableware and chinaware. In turn, Pavlodar Oblast exported to Gomel Oblast ferrosilicon for Belarusian Steel Works.

According to Vladimir Dvornik, the two regions successfully advance cooperation in social sector. For instance, according to the agreement with the Kazakhstan's Union of Chernobyl Veterans over 100 Kazakhstan citizens undergo a physical examination and receive medical treatment in Gomel annually. In 2011 Francysk Skaryna Gomel State University and Pavlodar State Pedagogical Institute signed an agreement on cooperation. There are more examples of bilateral cooperation between the two regions.

On 20 April the sides signed a protocol of interregional conference and an agreement on cooperation between the free economic zones in Gomel Oblast and Pavlodar Oblast.

The official delegation of Pavlodar Oblast is led by the head of the local executive body Bulat Bakauov. The delegation comprises local officials, heads of companies and organizations.

The guests from Kazakhstan visited Zhlobin, Rogachev, and Gomel to see local industrial and agricultural companies, social facilities. Among them were Belarusian Steel Works, Rogachev Milk Canning Plant, Gomselmash, Spartak, Tikhinichi, Gomel Palace and Park Ensemble.