MINSK, 7 February (BelTA) – Belarus and Bashkortostan have everything in place to increase trade and hit the $320 million mark this year, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov on 7 February.
According to the president, Belarus and Bashkortostan cooperate in many areas and everything is in place to expand partnerships. “It is convenient and very profitable for us to cooperate with you, because your republic is the European center of the Russian Federation, the most advanced, developed region of the country. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for us to cooperate with you,” the head of state noted.
For example, the parties closely collaborate in mechanical engineering; there is a joint venture for the assembly and sale of tractors. Belarus sends units and component parts for tractors to Bashkortostan, they are assembled there, some parts are added, and an in-demand product rolls off the assembly line. “There is a very solid demand for them,” the president remarked.
Cooperation between Belarus' MAZ and Ufa Tram and Trolleybus Plant is quite successful. In 2020-2022 they produced from 20 to 60 trolleybuses annually, while in 2023-2024 the output increased to more than 300 per year. “This is a good pace. I think that we need to double down on it,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko. He noted that Belarus is ready to cooperate in restoring trams using Belkommunmash bodies. “If we agree on it, there will be no delays on our part,” the president assured.
“This is not charity in any way on our part. This is an extremely profitable line of work. We are ready to keep cooperating with you in these areas,” the head of state emphasized.
Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned Belarus' plans to open an AMKODOR production and maintenance center in Ufa. “Machinery will always be in demand, especially in such a huge country as Russia. You are building federal and regional roads, well done! And you cannot do without machinery. We can fully meet your demand for this machinery and work together first to assemble and then to jointly produce equipment similar to AMKODOR, using these technologies,” the president suggested.
The participants of the meeting also discussed Belarus' food supplies, though for Bashkortostan this topic is not so relevant, since the region has a well-developed agriculture. “Your republic excels in agriculture. Both you and Tatarstan are doing pretty well in this sector. But anyway, if you need any food products, let us know, we will discuss it. This is very important now. We would be happy to work with you,” the Belarusian president said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Belarus and Bashkortostan had done some joint work in the field of agricultural drones. In this regard, the president proposed to scale up cooperation: “We have experience, certain developments. They can sell well now. I think we need to move on in this direction.”
The same applies to cooperation in the light industry. “Fabrics, knitwear, garments, footwear, carpets, workwear, and other goods - we can make all kinds of clothing and footwear a person needs. And if you are interested not only in goods, but also in technologies that we have, we will be happy to discuss it with you,” the president remarked.
Describing relations with the Russian region in general, the head of state once again emphasized Belarus' interest in cooperation across the board. “This Russian region is very important for us, we want our cooperation to gain momentum. Firstly, Bashkortostan is well-developed and advanced. And secondly, it is the center of the European part of Russia, thus it will be easier for us to build partnerships with neighboring regions as well. If we agree on something, do not doubt that we will honor our obligations,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
In turn, Radiy Khabirov thanked for the warm welcome and the opportunity to discuss cooperation prospects. Taking the opportunity, he congratulated Aleksandr Lukashenko on his resounding victory in the election: “We believe that this is a very important event not only for Belarus, but for both states.”
Radiy Khabirov emphasized that Belarus is not just a foreign economic partner for Bashkortostan, it is also a fraternal republic. Over the years, the region has purchased a significant amount of Belarusian equipment of various types; service centers have been established, and this work will continue. Cooperation in the petrochemical sector is also on the up and up; Belarusian food products are popular with Bashkortostan residents.
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