MINSK, 29 October (BelTA) – Belarus and the Czech Republic see great potential for boosting trade, Czechia Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Martin Tlapa told journalists ahead of the opening of the Belarusian-Czech business forum in Minsk, BelTA has learned.
“This year's trade equals $500 million, but we believe that this is not the limit,” Martin Tlapa noted. “Trade went up by 48% over the past year. If would be great if we managed to maintain this growth rate,” he added.
Martin Tlapa pointed out that Belarus-Czechia cooperation is not limited to trade. The countries implement mutually beneficial projects, cooperate in modernizing the Belarusian economy, and share the best practices. He called interaction between Minsk Oblast and Czechia's Vysocina Region an example of successful cooperation. The regions hold joint trainings for doctors, rescue workers, and integrated services.
The current level of trade is not the limit, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI) Sergei Nabeshko believes. “Our countries have prospects of cooperation in mechanical engineering and construction,” he noted. “The forum involves companies that employ unique manufacturing technologies and are ready to share them and those that are eager to supply equipment for our thermal power stations and other facilities of the energy industry,” he added.
Belarusian companies have also shown interest in the business forum. The Czech Republic is represented by 14 companies, while around 40 Belarusian enterprises from various industries are taking part in the event.
The entrepreneurship forum has been organized by the Minsk branch of the BelCCI in association with the Czech Chamber of Trade and Industry for the CIS Countries. The event includes a plenary session and a business matchmaking session for representatives of the private sectors of the two countries. Belarusian participants will have an opportunity to hold negotiations with representatives of Czech companies that are interested in establishing and advancing cooperation in the energy industry, civil engineering, and banking. In turn, representatives of the Czech private sector will be made familiar with the export and investment potential of Belarus and with the experience of foreign companies that operate on the Belarusian market.
