MINSK, 18 September (BelTA) – IKEA intends to increase the acquisition of Belarus-made goods up to €300 million in 2021, BelTA learned from Belarusian First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Yeudachenka during a Belarusian-Swedish business meeting in Minsk.
The diplomat stressed that the figure was €130 million last year.
The first deputy minister of foreign affairs drew attention to the importance of advancing Belarus-Sweden economic cooperation.
In turn, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Sweden Dmitry Mironchik said the number of IKEA suppliers in Belarus has increased to 12. He noted that the increase in the number of suppliers indicates high working standards of the Belarusian companies. Of the 12 suppliers four are state-run companies and eight are private ones (including with foreign investments).
The ambassador stressed that Belarus-Sweden cooperation develops very dynamically on the whole. “Thanks to IKEA Sweden has become one of the top ten countries to where Belarusian furniture is shipped,” Dmitry Mironchik said.
The business meeting gathered about 100 people, including those representing Belarusian furniture companies, woodworking and light industry companies. A similar meeting took place in Belarus in December 2018. According to the ambassador, it helped increase the interest in cooperation with IKEA.
Dmitry Mironchik pointed out that the Belarusian goods IKEA receives include not only furniture but other products as well. In particular, those are wall clocks made by a small company.
As for the possibility of opening an IKEA store in Belarus, Dmitry Mironchik said the matter is under consideration but the decision can be made only by the company itself.
