Doubling Belarus' trade with Russia's Tomsk Oblast looks doable

In 2022 trade between Belarus and Russia's Tomsk Oblast increased by 47% to nearly $23 million. Positive dynamics has been observed this year, too. Trade increased by nearly 30% in H1 2023. “But it is absolutely obvious that it is extremely little. Trade can and should be at least two or three times as much. There are plenty of growth points,” the Belarusian head of state pointed out during the meeting.

While talking to reporters, the governor remarked that it is an ambitious task but doable. “Due to the meetings that have already been held in Grodno Oblast, we see in Minsk now that it can be done,” Vladimir Mazur said.

Vladimir Mazur said that during meetings of the Tomsk Oblast delegation with Belarusian colleagues they had managed to sketch out plans and work out proposals on advancing cooperation along a number of avenues. For instance, in agribusiness the avenues include deliveries of machines, equipment, vehicles and components, breeding of varieties of vegetables and cereals.

Cooperation in science looks interesting. In Russia Tomsk Oblast occupies the third position after Moscow and St. Petersburg in terms of scientific and technological development. “Over the years [since the USSR collapse] Belarus preserved science, its development, high-tech approaches to various industrial areas. Just like Russia. But Belarus has more competences in some fields while Russia has more competences in other fields. And today we should not talk about import substitution but about staying ahead of imports or about independence from imports. It is more fitting. We have everything for moving forward and being competitive in comparison with world standards in the sphere of high technologies,” the governor stressed.