Belorussia and the Regions of Siberia Have Signed Cooperation Agreements

A session of the Russian Federation President Envoy in the Siberian Federal District Council and the Council of the Interregional Association ‘Siberian Agreement’ featuring the representatives of Belorussia took place at Novosibirsk Expo Centre International Exhibition Complex. The conference resulted in the signing of several cooperation agreements between the Republic of Belarus and several regions of the Siberian Federal District.

For example, agreements between the Tomsk Region, the Altay Region and the Novosibirsk Region were signed. Among other arrangements, the parties signed cooperation agreements in the sphere of education, science, information policy, trade, and industry. The conference also allowed its participants to discuss achievements attained within the scope of the previously signed agreements.

The Governor of the Novosibirsk Region Vladimir Gorodetsky noted that the goods turnover between the Novosibirsk Region and the Republic of Belarus is currently equal to 8%. This quantity is a significant part in the gross turnover of the Region. According to Gorodetsky, the goods turnover increased by approximately 40% within the last three years.

‘The total amount of goods supplied to the Novosibirsk Region in 2013 was equal to 218.6 million dollars, whilst the export equaled over 59.4 million dollars’, the Governor said.

He called the cooperation between the companies ‘Sebelektroprivod’ and ‘Belaz’ an example of a successful partnership. In 2013 the Novosibirsk company supplied the amount of products equal to 800 million rubles to Belarus, and within the first 6 months of 2014 the amount of shipments already exceeded 518 million rubles.

The First Deputy Prime Minister of Belorussia Vladimir Semashko also told the participants about the successful experience of cooperating with regions of Siberia and the whole of Russia. However, he noted that the results that were achieved within years of collaboration appear as unsatisfactory to our Belorussian partners.   

‘We are unsatisfied with the fact that the maximum turnover that we’ve achieved is only $1.4 billion. I reckon that we can double, even triple this amount. We are ready to expand the simplest form of our cooperation – shipments of agricultural products’, Vladimir Semashko said. According to the Vice Prime Minister the agricultural industry, which has large export potential, is well developed in the Republic of Belarus. Belorussian enterprises are interested in expanding the shipments of agricultural equipment, city transport vehicles, and a complex of equipment for the municipal housing and utility sector. Belarus is able to fully supply the necessary agricultural products, such as milk and cheese, to the market of Siberia including the Novosibirsk Region’.

‘We have a surplus of food products, export of food is one of our key export items. Last year it accounted for $5.5 billion, this year – over $6 billion. Our goal is to reach $7-8 billion per year’, he said. Besides, Vladimir Semashko told the participants of the events about ways to use Belorussian machinery for the upgrade of industrial enterprises in Siberia.

With all this said, Belorussia is also interested in purchasing Siberian products, particularly animal medications and new biotechnological products.

The sessions of the Councils also included speeches from the heads of other Siberian regions. The list of Belorussian participants who spoke at the conference included Deputy Ministers of Industry, Economic Development, Agriculture, and Food Procurement.