Partnership relations expansion

№ 3, 2022
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Topical issues of bilateral cooperation, possible joint projects, advantages of doing business and promising avenues to enhance trade relations – these issues were high on the agenda of the Belarus-Kazakhstan Business Council meeting, held in ­Nur-Sultan  on June 8.

The event was organized by the ­Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with partner associations – Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan and "Atameken" National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan – as part of the visit to Nur-Sultan of the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov and the 17th meeting of the Intergovernmental Belarus-Kazakhstan Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Participating in the Business Council meeting were representatives of state authorities, business associations, free economic zones, enterprises of the two countries, either having successful cooperation history or interested in partnership relations.

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The Chairman of the BelCCI Mikhael Miatlikov and Chairman of the Board of the Foreign Trade Chamber of ­Kazakhstan Ayan Yerenov welcomed the meeting participants.

Addressing the meeting, Mikhael ­Miatlikov noted that Kazakhstan is an important partner for Belarus; co­operation between business circles and chambers of commerce and industry of the two countries is intensively deve­loping, including at a regional level.

"The Business Council is important as a dialogue platform because it provides an opportunity for the businesses of our countries to discuss topical issues, outline prospects for mutually bene­ficial cooperation, including in solving the strategic tasks of comprehensive partnership," the Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said. According to him, regular Council meetings contribute to the discussion of the possibilities of investment and business cooperation, ensure business ties expansion and exchange in business experience, help find the solutions to the problematic issues of joint work.

"The main task now for bilateral relations is to expand information exchange about existing commercial opportunities, business interests and requests. In this regard, the entire system of the BelCCI is at the service of the Kazakhstani business," Mikhael ­Miatlikov stressed. "You can address us as reliable friends who are ready to develop relationships based on mutual support and trust. I am confident that the results of the Business Council will be fruitful and will open up new horizons for our countries' businesses."

In turn, the Chairman of the Board of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan Ayan Yerenov noted the interest of Kazakhstani business in deepening partnership with Belarus across a wide range, expanding bilateral trade, developing industrial cooperation.

"Our trade turnover exceeds one billion dollars today. We can see that at the moment Belarus has a need for certain industrial goods due to the sanctions pressure. And we are ready to close these niches. To do this, we need to cooperate more closely. This is what today's meeting of the Business Council is aimed at. And there are all the prerequi­sites to bring the trade turnover to two billion dollars," Ayan Yerenov said.

The Chairman of the Board of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan also affirmed the readiness of his business association to provide all possible assistance to intensify contacts between enterprises and develop trade and economic ties between Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The focus during the meeting was made on industrial cooperation and business dialogue expansion. The participants identified promising areas for deepening cooperation, taking into account the innovations that have taken place in the two countries, discussed the possibilities of implementing joint investment projects, and presented the advantages of doing business by foreign companies within the free economic zones of Belarus.

Besides, the two countries' entrepreneurs had an opportunity to work in a B2B format, establish direct business contacts and discuss specific cooperation projects in agricultural engineering, chemical, light and food industries, logistics, digital technologies, pharmaceuticals sector, education, and other fields.

17 documents worth 10 million US dollars were signed during the meeting and other business events within the visit of the Belarusian business delegation to Kazakhstan. These are contracts in different economy sectors: mechanical engineering, woodworking, food, light industry. Along with the contacts established during business talks, this is a significant contribution to strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties.