MINSK, 12 March (BelTA) – Tentative plans have been made to arrange a forum on investment cooperation of the CIS states in autumn, BelTA learned from Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Igor Petrishenko on 12 March.
The 30th anniversary since the foundation of the Commonwealth of Independent States will be celebrated this year. The international economic forum CIS – 30 Years has been timed to the anniversary. The main goal of the forum is to review what has been done over the 30 years and sketch out approaches to the development of CIS cooperation in the future, the official said. “We've suggested discussing aspects of investment cooperation but unfortunately due to the remote format of the forum the discussions have been postponed. This forum on investment cooperation may be held in Belarus. The relevant agreement was reached with members of the CIS Economic Council today. Preparations will start to hold this offline forum in autumn 2021,” Igor Petrishenko said.
The CIS member states will continue advancing trade and economic cooperation, the realization of the free trade zone agreement, the removal of barriers, the development of manufacturing cooperation and innovative interaction. COVID-19 is also on the agenda. “During today's session of the CIS Economic Council we passed documents concerning a plan of joint actions to fight the coronavirus. Our relevant agencies in the CIS and in the member states should more tightly coordinate their efforts to overcome the infection. The best practices should be shared. It is necessary to create a database. It is necessary to lift all kinds of barriers relating to travels of citizens,” the official noted.
Igor Petrishenko went on saying: “We've also put forward our initiatives on interaction of integration platforms, integration structures, in which most of the CIS states participate. Those are the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It is important to take joint measures on topical problems such as transport links and workforce movement.”
Apart from that, the CIS Economic Council approved a draft agreement on cooperation in facilitating the employment of the population of the CIS member states. “We expect this agreement to be signed at the next session of the CIS Heads of Government Council in Minsk in May,” he added.
