GRODNO, 6 September (BelTA) - At the international economic forum taking place in Grodno, six international agreements were concluded with governments and companies from Russia, Azerbaijan, China, and Türkiye, BelTA has learned.
“Grodno is not only one of the most beautiful cities in Belarus with high tourist appeal, but also a major industrial center, occupying more than 40% of the total production in Grodno Oblast. It is a city with an open economy, which maintains trade and economic relations with 109 countries. Annually we export more than $1 billion worth of products. It is a city of successful business, featuring over 3,800 commercial organizations conducting business activities. Grodno has been repeatedly recognized as Belarus’ best city for doing business. The high intellectual potential of the city is created by three state universities and 14 colleges with a total of more than 27,000 young people study in 300 specialties. The city is provided with quality labor resources,” Grodno Mayor Andrei Khmel said as he presented the opportunities of the regional center to potential investors and guests of the forum.
In his words, a large part of the city makes part of Grodnoinvest Free Economic Zone and the special tourist and recreational park Augustow Canal with favorable economic conditions. These zones are subject to special legal regimes, including tax and customs privileges. These factors significantly increase the competitiveness as well as the payback period of investment projects.
The economy of the city continues to work and develop successfully in modern conditions, the mayor emphasized. Revenue to the city budget has increased by more than 20% this year. “Our enterprises have restructured export and import markets, logistics of payments. We continue to work on import substitution. The city continues to implement large investment projects on new enterprises and productions, build social facilities, develop new infrastructure and improve the existing one. The city gets new neighborhoods of multi-storey and individual residential buildings. The historical appearance of many objects is being restored to adapt to the tourist infrastructure” Andrei Khmel said.
In his words, Grodno is actively strengthening international ties. In the last four years, cooperation agreements have been signed with two Russian, one Azerbaijani and three Chinese cities, and their representatives are taking part in the current forum.
“Trust-based communication at the forum promotes business projects and initiatives. When one door closes, another one opens. Today’s realities give an incentive to rebuild, to find new approaches to development, to reboot, to lay a new foundation for successful growth.”
Grodno presented proposals for potential investors on vacant land plots and real estate objects at the forum, the mayor said. This catalogue will be expanded with new interesting proposals, such as the construction of hotels, development of a unified industrial tourism zone with showrooms and trade halls, etc.
Six cooperation agreements signed at today’s forum testifies to efficient trade and economic policy of the region and the regional center. For example, agreements were signed between Grodno and the Azerbaijani city of Gabala, Grodno and China’s Lunan. Also a number of international agreements were signed by the FEZ Grodnoinvest.
Today the forum participants got an opportunity to learn about the products of Grodno enterprises at the regional universal exhibition of achievements, displayed at the Technolab enterprise. The presentation platforms of the Grodno agricultural processing enterprises were especially popular.
The forum program also includes thematic sections: Free Economic Zones as a Driver of Regional Economic Development, Electronic Commerce as a Tool for Export Promotion, Industrial and Health Tourism and others.
Attending the international economic forum in Grodno are representatives of the diplomatic corps of Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India, Iran, Zimbabwe, Palestine, as well as guests from sister cities, representatives of business circles of Russia, China, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye.
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