International Economic Cooperation Forum in the framework of the celebration of the 957th anniversary of Minsk

Traditionally, as part of the Minsk City Day celebration, the Minsk Department of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Minsk City Executive Committee held an International Economic Cooperation Forum in the Congress hall of the Victoria Olympus Hotel on September 13.

Business and government representatives fr om 29 countries and 22 regions of the Russian Federation attended the event. In total, more than 300 foreign and Belarusian participants took part in the forum.

The forum was attended by heads of administrations, business associations, owners and top managers of large companies interested in establishing and expanding trade, economic and investment cooperation, representatives of organizations of various ownership forms in Belarus, Russia, far and near abroad.

Business delegations of partner CCI and associations from Vologda, Nizhny Novgorod, Sverdlovsk, Perm, Smolensk regions, Moscow, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and China attended the Forum.

The forum was opened by Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee Vladimir Kukharev, Chairman of the BelCCI Mikhail Myatlikov, President of the Moscow CCI Vladimir Platonov, Mayor of Bishkek Aibek Dzhunushaliev, head of Yekaterinburg Alexey Orlov. The forum was moderated by Sergey Nabeshko, Director General of the Minsk BelCCI department.

In order to familiarize foreign business with the special conditions for opening enterprises in free economic zones, LLC Minsk City Technopark and FEZ Minsk acted.

Sergey Nabeshko, Director General of the Minsk department of the BelCCI noted in the speech that the International Economic Cooperation Forum is a business platform that is gaining momentum, acquiring its own traditions, and expanding the geography of participants.

Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee Vladimir Kukharev noted: "The annual holding of this economic forum gives its fruitful results. We can see from the information analysis from enterprises and organizations that the forum has an effect, since business representatives can get acquainted, communicate, and exchange contacts on this site. This leads further to the signing of mutually beneficial contracts and agreements. The forum site itself is becoming interesting for a wide variety of directions."

Chairman of the BelCCI Mikhail Myatlikov expressed gratitude for the high interest in the event from foreign partners and guests and hope that during the work at the forum each participant will find new opportunities and appreciate the benefits of cooperation with Minsk and the country overall.

After the plenary part, the activity on the forum continued in three sections: “Strategic priorities of economic development”, “Investments, innovations and opportunities”, “Prospects of the development of industrial parks, technoparks and FEZs of Russia and Belarus, their role in building economic and technological independence”.

The speakers of the section “Strategic priorities of economic development” talked about the most important areas of economic development for the Republic of Belarus, Perm, industrial cooperation in the EAEU, the development of small business in the light industry of Belarus. A successful case of industrial cooperation was presented on the example of OJSC “MTW”. Issues of leasing, financing of integration investment projects in Belarus, the role of stock trading, issues of vocational education were discussed.

The speakers of the section “Investments, innovations and opportunities” touched upon the mechanisms of investor support, digitalization of the urban environment, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence in medical diagnostics.

The speakers of the section "Prospects of the development of industrial parks, technoparks and FEZs of Russia and Belarus" spoke about the support for small and medium-sized innovative and industrial entrepreneurship in technoparks and FEZs of the two countries, about the opportunities and prospects of their development.

Belarusian and foreign participants, representatives of business and government agencies held B2G and B2B meetings and negotiations.

During the forum there was held an exhibition of Belarusian manufacturers. Enterprises of light industry, confectionery industry, electronics and instrumentation presented their products. At the end of the event, foreign participants visited enterprises in Minsk, wh ere they got acquainted with the production potential and opportunities for cooperation. Also, during their stay in Minsk, the guests got acquainted with the cultural heritage and history of the country.