GOMEL, 24 May (BelTA) – Nine documents worth over $130 million were signed during the plenary part of the 16th Gomel Economic Forum, which is taking place in the oblast capital today, BelTA has learned.
The documents were signed by Gomel Oblast Acting Governor, First Deputy Chairman of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee Gennady Solovei as well as Belarusian and foreign investors.
Protocols of intent provide for reconstructing a division of the construction materials company OAO Gomelstroymaterialy, for building a woodworking factory and a plant to process metallurgical industry waste, for starting the production of knitted fabric, hydraulic equipment and components, for recycling plastics, for building a mining and processing factory for extracting and processing kaolin clay, and for building an authorized aftersales service center. Apart from that, an agreement was signed on promoting dairy products in Russia. In particular, interests of the Rogachev tinned milk plant will be represented.
While talking to reporters, Chairman of the Board of the Estonian company Kaamos Group Marek Pohla noted that the company intends to invest up to €30 million in setting up the woodworking factory. The high-tech enterprise will employ 100 workers and will be oriented for export. It will be located in the free economic zone Gomel-Raton. Its designed capacity will exceed 160,000m3 of sawn timber per annum.
Marek Pohla remarked that Belarus is an interesting country from the point of view of making investments. He noted that the company has been implementing a project in Vitebsk Oblast for 15 years already and the results are quite good. “Every business, every country has its risks, but we've been in Belarus for 15 years already and feel like in our own country,” the Kaamos Group chairman of the board said.
About 500 people from 28 countries are taking part in the Gomel Economic Forum this year. The oblast's economic and investment potential will be presented during the forum. After the plenary session the work will continue in five panel sessions. Participants of the forum are also expected to visit the 20th international expo Spring in Gomel.
