Belarus sees tangible economic benefits from cooperation with Russia

First of all, Aleksandr Lukashenko congratulated Aleksandr Bogomaz on the recent election as the governor of Bryansk Oblast. “I congratulate you on this achievement, you truly deserve this victory. You have recently made revolutionary progress in various fields – in the development of the region, in the gross regional product. This is a deserved victory. We are very happy for you. You are a decent man, people appreciated your work and re-elected you as the Bryansk Oblast governor,” the president said.

The head of state remarked that the 7th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia had finished its work the day before. During the forum the sides summed up achievements and determined development prospects. The forum was even more productive than the previous ones, the president believes. The sides concluded agreements to the tune of more than $750 million. “This is a good contribution to the economy of Belarus. And it is significant for Russia,” Aleksandr Lukashenko believes. “It is also essential to keep in mind the future impact of these contacts. They will give jobs and salaries to our people. This is what we lack in cooperation with other countries. It is good that in these conditions, amid the coronavirus spread and the aggravation of the international situation (you see what is going on around us) we have ultimately found ways for rapprochements and interaction which brings tangible economic benefits.”

Speaking about the regional cooperation with Bryansk Oblast, the president said that this is not only a neighboring region for Belarus but also a very friendly region. “We think and act in a similar way, we have similar economies. There will always be nuances, but we are fully committed to resolving them. I think that your visit to Belarus will help address these nuances,” he stressed.

As for the bilateral trade, the head described it as decent. “But I think that if we do our best, we will be able to reach the trade turnover of Belarus and Bryansk Oblast to 1 billion in the second half of your tenure,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The trade and economic cooperation of Belarus and Bryansk Oblast is increasingly vibrant. In 2019, the bilateral trade made up $650.7 million, including $411 million worth of export. In January-July 2020, the trade turnover reached $353.4 million, including $245.6 million worth of export (up 9.3% from the level of the previous year).

Major Belarusian exports to Bryansk Oblast are dairy products, agricultural, road and construction equipment, details for the railway industry, construction materials. Major imports from Bryansk Oblast are ferrous metals, cement, soya beans, paper and cardboard, various industrial and agricultural products.

There are assembly facilities of Belarusian enterprises Amkodor-Bryansk and Bryanskselmash; operators of the commodity distribution network of Mozyrsol and Milkavita; an official dealer of the Belarusian tapestry manufacturer Belorusskiye Oboi; a network of Belarusian enterprises Vitex, Belita, Milavitsa, Belwest and Nelva in the Russian region.