GOMEL, 28 January (BelTA) - Development of the regions will be one of the key priorities in Belarus in the next five years, Belarus' Economy Minister Aleksandr Chervyakov told the media on the sidelines of the regional meeting of the delegates to the Belarusian People's Congress from Gomel, BelTA has learned.
"Development of the regions will be one of our key priorities in the next five years. They are pillars for almost the entire economy. Our future will depend on what conditions we create in the regions. Therefore, the emphasis in the program of social and economic development is made on the development of regions," the minister said.
Aleksandr Chervyakov stressed that every region has the potential, competences and competitive advantages. "It is by unlocking this potential that we will be able to find new areas that will become drivers of regional development," he is convinced.
According to the minister, agriculture, engineering and IT are among the main sectors that will spur further improvements in Gomel Oblast. “Private business will get a serious boost. It should be involved in the work with large enterprises, create clusters and work towards import substitution,” he added.
The minister named the main provisions for the country's social and economic development until 2025. He stressed that three main things had been defined. The state will keep its social focus, with the main goal to improve the people's welfare. The main attention will be on income, prices, employment, housing affordability, and high-tech services in medicine and education. The further development of industrial potential in traditional industries and agriculture will continue on a new technological and digital basis. The third thing is the development of new high-tech industries and enterprises.
Attending the meeting in Gomel were First Deputy Head of Belarus President Administration Maksim Ryzhenkov, First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Nazarov, heads of ministries, representatives of the deputy corps, executive authorities and labor collectives of the region.
The 6th Belarusian People's Congress will take place in Minsk on 11-12 February 2021. The main provisions of Belarus' social and economic development program for 2021-2025, as well as the trends of the country's social and political development will be discussed by the participants of the Congress. The total number of the participants and invitees will be 2,700 people. Gomel Oblast will be represented by 310 delegates.
