MINSK, 25 March (BelTA) - The Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia provides an opportunity to tap into the potential of regional cooperation, Chairman of the Standing Commission on Regional Policy and Local Self-Government of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Rusy said at the first joint meeting of the national organizing committees for the 9th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, BelTA has learned.
"First of all, I would like to welcome our Russian colleagues. Our organizing committee is hosting a representative delegation of the Federation Council," said Mikhail Rusy. “The Forum of Regions provides an opportunity to fully unlock the potential of Belarus and Russia at the regional level. This is what we will do.”
The upcoming forum will be themed around "The role of interregional cooperation in promoting integration in the Union State". "We propose to hold the event in Grodno and the suburbs on 23-24 June. On the first day, we are planning to hold meetings in six sections," Mikhail Rusy emphasized.
"we are meeting at a difficult time. The unfriendly states have imposed an unprecedented package of economic sanctions against Russia and Belarus. In these conditions, the cooperation of our countries is of particular importance. An effective response to sanctions will be closer integration of the two countries in all walks of life," said Andrei Shevchenko, Chairman of the Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Self-Government and Northern Affairs at the Federation Council.
The upcoming forum will focus on the important theme - the role of interregional cooperation in deepening the integration in the Union State. "In the current geopolitical and socio-economic context, the forum is of particular importance. The breakout sessions will discuss a wide range of topics: the development of the legal framework of the Union State, interaction in import substitution, cooperation on the new climate agenda, interaction in the agricultural industry, integration of the higher education systems of the two countries. All these issues are important for deepening integration, for solving the pressing issues at the regional level," Andrey Shevchenko said.
The Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia is held annually under the auspices of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia.
"Traditional meetings, which are held under the patronage of the upper houses of parliaments, have become the most important economic and networking project of the Union State. Recent events around Belarus and Russia show that the decisions taken many years ago were correct and that it is very important to be together. The Forum of Regions is a vivid demonstration of the unity and cohesion of the peoples of the two countries," the Council of the Republic noted.
