The international forum “Innovations. Investments. Prospects” opened in Vitebsk on 19 May. It features more than 200 investment and innovation projects.
Chairman of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev outlined the main features of the economy of the region and its investment potential, described the role of the region in transit flows. "The forum will present more than 200 investment and innovation projects on industrial cooperation, advanced technologies, in-depth processing of local raw materials, and the development of the single distribution network in the most promising regions in the world. I hope that the forum will help us take another step towards each other, and find long-term partners,” added Nikolai Sherstnev.
Mr Lauri Pullola, the head of the Finnish Embassy Office in Minsk, said: "Given the current economic situation, investment in the future and the search for new solutions are becoming very important. A high-level Finnish delegation will visit Belarus in a month. The discussions will focus on the development of cooperation in power engineering and forestry. The delegation members will meet with representatives of some Belarusian enterprises. Further improvements in the economic and investment climate in Belarus will drum up the interest on the part of Finnish companies in Belarus. Once I got to Vitebsk, I realized that we have a lot in common with the region.”
This year the investment forum in Vitebsk has brought together over 1,000 participants from 16 countries: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, France, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden and others. The first event on the program of the forum was a ceremony to sing several international agreements and memorandums to promote investment and business cooperation between companies and business agencies of Latvia, the Czech Republic, Kyrgyzstan and the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee, the regional marketing center, and the administration of the Vitebsk Free Economic Zone. After that the participants and the guests got acquainted with the exhibitions "Investment Potential of Vitebsk Oblast. Innovative Development of the Region”, “Innovative Energy-and Resource-Saving Technologies, Equipment and Materials”, “Construction Industry. Innovations in Construction”, “Food production in Vitebsk Oblast”, “Light Industry Development Prospects”.
The format of the forum has been upgraded. The goal is to present the region's capacities and carefully examine the wishes of potential investors in the context of their arrival on the Belarusian market. To this end, a meeting has been scheduled between representatives of government bodies, national business and foreign investors.
Roundtables, sections, seminars will be held on the first and second days of the forum. For example, the 19 March program includes a roundtable: "The Covenant of Mayors – Assistance to the Sustainable Energy Development of Regions”, a seminar for public transport companies, conferences on energy-and resource-saving, integration of business, raising investments through free economic zones, development of Vitebsk Oblast, and also business matchmaking events with the discussions of investment projects.
One of the central themes of the forum is the development of the energy sector, including renewable energy, and the benefits this dynamically growing industry can bring to the regions.
The guests will be offered a cultural and educational program. The heads of officials delegations will take part in a ceremony of laying flowers to the Eternal Flame of the memorial in honor of the Soviet soldiers-liberators, partisans and underground fighters of Vitebsk Oblast.
Source: BelTA