MINSK, 27 May (BelTA) – In 2018 the volume of trade between Minsk Oblast and Germany rose by nearly 7% from 2017. The figure was mentioned by Minsk Oblast Governor Anatoly Isachenko as he met with Ambassador of Germany to Belarus Peter Dettmar on 27 May, BelTA has learned.
Anatoly Isachenko said: “Over the course of eight years of working in various positions in Belarus you've become a true friend for the country. Germany is one of our main economic partners. In 2018 Minsk Oblast's trade with Germany exceeded $500 million. We added about 7% to the figure registered in 2017. You've helped make that happen and I am genuinely grateful for that.”
In 2018 export totaled $87.1 million (about 116% as against 2017), with import at $414.7 million (105%). The main exports to Germany included timber and furniture. Primarily machines and other mechanisms for drilling and digging were imported as well as equipment for harvesting and threshing agricultural crops, trailers and semitrailers, other towed means of transportation. In 2018 foreign direct investments from Germany totaled $14.8 million, with net FDI at $6.8 million.
Peter Dettmar described Minsk and the oblast as appropriate variants for making investments. “Economic cooperation, interaction in other spheres between Belarus and Germany is turning out to be very positive. One of the tasks of the embassy was to mark Minsk, Minsk Oblast, and Belarus as a whole on the economic map for Germany. I think we've managed to accomplish that to a large degree. Our enterprises make independent decisions about selecting cities and regions for cooperation and investments. However, in my opinion, Minsk and the oblast are appropriate variants for investors from Germany,” he believes.
