GOMEL, 17 May (BelTA) – A delegation of Gomel Oblast led by Governor Vladimir Dvornik took part in the 3rd international forum of investment and export in Snovyanka, Chernigov Oblast, BelTA learned from spokeswoman for the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee Olga Ryabikova.
The cooperation between Ukraine and the south-eastern region of Belarus started in 1993 with the signing of the agreement between the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee and the Chernigov Oblast Administration. “This year we are marking the 25th anniversary of our friendship. At present the cooperation between the two bordering oblasts have been developing within 11 twinning and partnership agreements,” Vladimir Dvornik said. Documents on interregional cooperation have been signed with eight oblasts of Ukraine.
“Over the past two years, the Gomel Oblast foreign trade with the regions of Ukraine almost reached $1 billion. Chernigov Oblast traditionally holds the first positions in the volume of trade turnover,” the Gomel Oblast governor said. Gomel Oblast main imports include wallpaper, polyester fiber fabrics, yarn, equipment for pipeline fittings, and other goods. Ukraine buys fertilizers, liquefied gases, rye flour, glass, and products of Spartak Confectionary.
“There are 111 enterprises with Ukrainian capital in Gomel Oblast. The total investment in the region has amounted to almost $65 million over the past seven years,” Vladimir Dvornik said. In 2018, a new resident, KTD Group Company was registered in the FEZ Gomel-Raton with an investment project of €4 million to launch the production of electric furnaces.
Among the mutually beneficial economic cooperation the Gomel Oblast governor named industrial cooperation, agriculture, finance, science and tourism. He also expressed confidence that the Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Ukraine scheduled for October 2018 in Gomel will give a qualitatively new impetus to the relations between the two states.
The forum in Snovyanka highlighted ways for intensifying interregional contacts. It is planned that the delegation of Chernigov Oblast will take part in the Gomel Economic Forum on 25 May.
Attending the forum of investment and export in Chernigov Oblast were about 170 representatives of Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Japan, and China.
