Image credit: eccis.org
MINSK, 29 April (BelTA) – In order for the economies of the CIS states to keep developing fast, it is necessary to continue efficiently implementing the sketched-out plans. Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Yuri Shuleiko made the statement at a session of the CIS Economic Council in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, BelTA has learned.
Yuri Shuleiko stressed that it is necessary to continue efficiently implementing sketched-out plans, primarily the strategy on economic development of the Commonwealth of Independent States for the period till 2030, in order to maintain high rates of development of the CIS economies.
The official noted: “The reconciliation of the draft action plan on implementing the strategy’s second stage for 2026-2030 is in the final phase. This document covers practically all spheres of activities of the CIS member states. We intend to sign it at a meeting of the CIS heads of government in autumn. The removal of barriers in mutual trade remains a key item on the CIS agenda. I believe we should more actively utilize the entire potential of the existing high-level working group in order to analyze the incoming complaints about hindrances in mutual trade between the CIS member states.”
He also stressed that the matter of liberalizing the trade in services should remain on the radar. “We expect the Republic of Uzbekistan to finish intrastate procedures for launching the agreement on free trade in services for all the signatory states,” Yuri Shuleiko remarked.
The Belarusian side welcomes Uzbekistan’s initiative to expand mutual investment cooperation. The initiative was put forward at a CIS summit in 2023. “Today we will approve a complex of measures to attract and stimulate the development of mutual investments within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States till 2030. Investment activity is one of the foundations for the growth of our economies,” the deputy prime minister noted.
Ensuring technological sovereignty is another most important avenue of cooperation between the CIS states. “The accomplishment of this goal will be furthered by the implementation of an interstate program on innovative development of the CIS member states till 2030. It provides for interaction in setting up new markets of goods and services by leveraging modern technologies, fundamental research, and experimental development efforts. The next step in forming the common industrial space within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States should be the realization of a concept in the field of light industry and the relevant action plan in addition to an agreement on cooperation in the area of heavy mechanical engineering industry branches. These documents are supposed to be signed at a session of the CIS Heads of Government Council in Dushanbe,” Yuri Shuleiko said.
In 2024 the GDP of the CIS member states rose by 4.4% from 2023 and this figure is ahead of the world economy growth rate.
Yuri Shuleiko remarked that food security is a constant priority in cooperation of the CIS states. “The development of proprietary agribusiness capabilities of the CIS states will give an additional impulse to the development of the national economies. A new edition of the agreement on interstate relations in matters concerning the agribusiness complex of 29 March 1993 will be prepared for signing soon. Work on it has been in progress for over ten years already,” he said.
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