MINSK, 30 September (BelTA) – Belarus' industrial sector accounts for almost a third of its GDP and three-quarters of its exports Belarusian Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin said during the main plenary session “A Union of New Technologies: Building the Industry of the Future” at the international industrial exhibition INNOPROM. Belarus on 29 September, BelTA has learned.
“Belarus possesses significant industrial and intellectual potential. The country's industrial sector accounts for almost a third of its GDP and three-quarters of its exports. Over the four years of the current five-year plan, industrial output has grown by more than 14%. This includes an increase in machine-building by almost 1.5 times, and the production of computing, electronic, and optical equipment by 2.5 times. However, this year industrial growth has slowed, which once again underscores the need for a comprehensive, all-encompassing approach to long-term development. We see the vulnerable spots in our economy; we know where and in what we are lagging behind. In conditions of global instability, a key element of survival is ensuring technological sovereignty. That is, our ability to independently develop, implement, and use critical technologies and products. Our goal is to transition from classical import substitution to forward-looking development, the commercialization of scientific research, and the digitalization and robotization of production processes,” Aleksandr Turchin said.
He emphasized that achieving technological sovereignty alone is an extremely difficult task. “It can only be solved together. We consider it vital to work jointly on synchronizing and combining efforts with our strategic partners. Within the Belarus-Russia Union State, more than 60 programs have been implemented in areas such as space technology, microelectronics, information technology, machine-building, medicine, and many others. Twenty-six integration projects are underway to produce new goods across various industries, aiming to bridge technological gaps and enable joint use of the results,” the prime minister noted.
With China, a new model of applied cooperation is being consistently implemented, and a transition is underway towards a strategy of joint technological development and industrial and investment cooperation. Currently, about 60 projects with the participation of Chinese partners are being implemented in Belarus, with total declared investments of about $1.6 billion. With the involvement of Chinese partners, Belarus now produces gearboxes, engines, truck cranes, passenger cars, and supercapacitors for electric buses.
A number of cooperative projects have already been launched through the Eurasian Economic Commission, including the Eurasian Electric Bus initiative. A financial mechanism to stimulate cooperative projects has been launched. Funding for the first two has already been approved, with another 10 under consideration. “We see the possibility and necessity of jointly implementing such innovative programs and projects within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” the Belarusian head of government said.
Numerous new agreements will be reached in the coming days on the sidelines of the INNOPROM. Belarus exhibition in Minsk. “Today, it is no exaggeration to say that over 15 years the exhibition has become the most important platform for developing strategic directions for the industrial sector in the Eurasian space. The event's significance is clearly evidenced by the geography and diversity of its participants. I would like to thank the government of the Russian Federation and its head Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin for the opportunity to host such a large-scale event on Belarusian soil. After all, it is an opportunity to showcase our best developments and another chance to exchange experiences, build new contacts in the field of advanced technologies and competencies, and define a development strategy for industries for many years to come,” Aleksandr Turchin said.
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