Mayors of Minsk, Russia's Novosibirsk discuss cooperation areas

“We have long-standing good relations with Novosibirsk. We have done a lot together, as we work across all areas of activities. It is great that today we have also been able to find new points of contact on which we can work with mutual benefits, and it is important that they cover various industries. These are passenger equipment, metro construction, and metro design. This is the subject we have discussed in detail today,” Vladimir Kukharev said.

According to him, Minsk and Novosibirsk can also work on joint projects of talented young people. “There are many young people who are ready to do science, and, of course, they need an exchange of experience. Most importantly, we must do our best to ensure that young people meet, make friends, establish good relations, which may result in various projects in the future,” the Minsk mayor said.

In January-August 2023 the trade between Minsk and Novosibirsk Oblast amounted to $84 million (up 16.6%). Belarus' main exports are tractors, electric transformers, computing machines and their units, refrigerators, freezers, agricultural equipment, and washing machines.

Minsk and Novosibirsk enjoy long-established friendly relations which are supported by joint projects. A city twinning agreement was signed in 2012, and strengthened in 2022 by a memorandum on further development of twinning relations during the visit of the Novosibirsk delegation led by Novosibirsk Mayor Anatoly Lokot.

Minsk City Hall and the Novosibirsk Mayor's Office have developed and signed an action plan to develop cooperation in 2023-2024. The document envisages interaction in all areas of cooperation.