15 May 2018
Within the framework of the official visit to Tajikistan of the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, the Business forum of Tajikistan and Belarus with participation of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan business representatives was held in Dushanbe. The event was organized by the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan with the assistance of the Embassy of Belarus in Tajikistan.
The business forum was attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus, Co-Chairman of the Belarus-Tajikistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation Leonid Zayats, the Minister of Industry of the Republic of Belarus Vitaly Vovk, the Minister of Health of the Republic of Belarus Valery Malashko, the Chairman of the National Academy of sciences Presidium Vladimir Gusakov, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Tajikistan Oleg Ivanov, the Chairman of the BelCCI Vladimir Ulakhovich, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan Sattori Izzatullo, the Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan Hamralizoda Farrukh, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan Sharif Said, the Director of Industry and Export Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mir Zaman, more than 200 Belarusian and Tajikistani businessmen, representatives of 30 Uzbekistani, 20 Afghan and 4 Pakistani enterprises and organizations.
As the Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted, Tajikistan plays an important role by being at the crossroads of trade routes in its region. And Belarus is keen to develop cooperation with this country, as well as to implement joint projects, including with the help of international support to restore Afghanistan. In his words, numerous business representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were taking part in the business forum, which would ensure higher international public response to the forum and the National exhibition of Belarus to coincide with the forum.
According to Vladimir Ulakhovich, the prospects are to set up assembly plants in Tajikistan in order to remove the logistics burden. "The markets of the neighboring countries are very big, and we are mulling over the strengthening of our industrial cooperation. We need to consider new projects, for example, related to the mining industry. Tajikistan is rich in mineral resources and raw materials. We have technologies, equipment and specialists,” the BelCCI Chairman said.
A number of bilateral documents were signed during the forum, including a memorandum of understanding between the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the state unitary enterprise Tajinvest under the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management of Tajikistan. The contracts worth $10 million on the supply and service of the Belarusian agricultural machinery and on the pharmaceuticals supplies were signed as well. The Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry stated that the numbers could be much higher following the results of the Belarusian delegation stay in Tajikistan.
After the business forum, the business program in Dushanbe continued in the form of thematic sections on industry and agriculture. Afterwards, it moved to the site of the National exhibition of Belarus in Tajikistan, where representatives of business circles from different countries will continue to discuss promising areas of cooperation.
Based on BelTA