GOMEL, 22 April (BelTA) - Gomel Oblast of Belarus signed contracts with partners from Uzbekistan’s Fergana Region for more than Br6.5 million during a visit of a delegation of Belarus’ Gomel Oblast led by Governor Ivan Krupko to Uzbekistan, Ivan Krupko said at a meeting in the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee on 22 April, BelTA has learned.
Since 2019, with cooperation between the regions gradually expanding in various areas, the export of Gomel products to Fergana Region have soared 4.5 times, Ivan Krupko said.
“During the visit [last week] we signed a roadmap for cooperation and concluded contracts for more than Br6.5 million,” he noted.
At the meeting, including representatives of business circles and administrations of the two regions, an agreement was reached to hold annual economic forums of Gomel Oblast and Fergana Region. The first one is expected to be held in September.
Apart from trade, Ivan Krupko outlined three key areas where the parties intend to build cooperation. “The demand for dairy products is great [in Fergana region]. Plans are in place to set up a joint dairy enterprise. We need to look into every detail before the first economic forum,” the governor set the task at the meeting.
Machine building was named as the second area of cooperation. According to Ivan Krupko, partners from Uzbekistan are showing interest in purchasing grain harvesters, forage harvesters and other machinery. “We will be working in this direction as well,” he said.
Furniture production is the third area of cooperation. According to the Gomel Oblast governor, Uzbekistan does not have such forests as Belarus. “There is a proposal to set up a joint furniture production venture. We have raw materials, different kinds of materials, semi-finished products, which can be the basis for the future enterprise. The working group will decide on the form of the future enterprise,” he added.
The parties are also set to actively develop cooperation in the social and humanitarian areas. Fergana's creative teams will receive invitations to contests, festivals and forums held in Gomel Oblast, while Gomel representatives, in turn, will entertain the spectators in Uzbekistan.
The parties are also looking into the opportunity of training specialists. “We are already ready to sign a memorandum in healthcare,” the head of the region said.
Another area of mutual interest for the parties is the opening of trading houses in Gomel with products from Uzbekistan and also in Fergana where Gomel producers will be able to present their goods.
“We need to work out proposals across all the discussed areas,” Ivan Krupko said.
