The 30th anniversary of the CIS: Chambers' experience and prospects

№ 1, 2022
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WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES IN 2021, AS WELL AS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIS, THE BELARUSIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ORGANIZED THE EVENTS WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE HEADS OF THE CCIS OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE EAEU COUNTRIES ON DECEMBER 17, 2021. BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS SUMMED UP THE RESULTS OF JOINT WORK TO PROMOTE BUSINESS TIES AND SET THE AGENDA FOR FURTHER INTERACTION.

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After the collapse of the USSR, it was extremely important to prevent the complete rupture of long-standing all-encompassing ties between peoples, to ensure social and other rights of citizens, as well as ­stable mechanisms of interaction of the newly independent states. The international association, the Commonwealth of ­Independent States, established in 1991, has largely made it possible to solve these large-scale tasks.

Over its 30-year history, the CIS has transformed into a leading platform in the post-Soviet space for mutually bene­ficial cooperation and equal interstate dialogue in various areas, ­including in politics, economy, ­security and the cultural and humanita­rian sphere. The Commonwealth has also become a favorable base for the creation and development of regional interstate associations, such as the ­Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Customs ­Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, and others.

Today, the CIS is a full-fledged international organization and a sought-after dialogue platform for discussing a wide range of issues. Organizations of all ­levels, including Chambers of ­Commerce and Industry, cooperate within the CIS. The promotion of co­ordinated approaches in the universally recognized multilateral organizations allows these structures to "speak with one voice" of like-minded states.

In 2021, the year of the 30th anniversary of the CIS, the presidency over the Commonwealth was carried out by the Republic of Belarus. The Belarusian chairmanship was aimed at developing coordinated approaches to solving topical issues of regional cooperation, strengthening multilateral cooperation for the comprehensive and balanced economic and social development of the CIS member states.

On December 17, within the framework of Belarus' chairmanship in the ­Commonwealth of Independent States and on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the CIS, the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry invited the heads of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of all CIS countries to Minsk. Two dialogue platforms were organized to discuss topical issues of inter-chamber and business cooperation.

The first event was the meeting of the heads of the Chambers of the CIS countries, devoted to summing up the results of the integration processes that have taken place over the past 30 years.

First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of the CIS Leonid Anfimov, Permanent Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Belarus to statutory and other bodies of the CIS Marina Dolgopolova, Chairman of the BelCCI Vladimir ­Ulakhovich, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan Dovletgeldi Rejepov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of ­Uzbekistan Adham Ikramov, Senior Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic Roman Kasymov, First Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan Nasim Anvarov, Acting Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Armenia Karen Ivanov, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova Natalia Kalenik, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Vladimir Padalko, heads of diplomatic missions of the CIS countries in the Republic of Belarus attended the meeting.

The participants of the meeting discussed the results of joint work of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the CIS states, topical issues and plans for further cooperation, as well as priority areas for business ties development.

First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of the CIS Leonid Anfimov noted that the CIS countries have a huge potential, which has not yet been revealed. The Commonwealth states need to join their efforts to overcome external challenges together, and all structures, including Chambers of Commerce and Industry, should be involved in this work. Leonid Anfimov said, "A ­Chamber of ­Commerce and Industry unites all layers of business from small to large ones, as well as represents dif­ferent areas of economic activity, such as industry, agriculture, finance, ­services. Therefore, Chambers can ­neutralize negative consequences of external pressure through the intensification of mutual ties between business structures of different states."

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In turn, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the CIS, the BelCCI Chairman Vladimir Ulakhovich noted, "This is a good reason to look back, to acknowledge what the Commonwealth has achieved. Over the years, infrastructure, contractual frameworks and business associations have developed. The Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has a number of services related to the activities of the CIS. In particular, there is a free trade zone, and we issue certificates to enterprises to remove unnecessary trade burdens to work within this zone. The exhibition and fair committee operates under the CIS. Every year, we form a common agenda, discuss exhibitions and encourage enterprises to participate in them. It brings results."

Speaking about the prospects, he drew attention to the fact that the conditions that currently exist on the external perimeter motivate and oblige to strengthen the role and importance of Chambers of Commerce and Industry as business associations. "The concept of the Commonwealth development until 2030 includes several positions that will always be on our agenda, such as digitalization of business relations, transport corridors, environmental issues, which today affect the business community, among others," Vladimir Ulakhovich said. "We must develop and promote our Commonwealth, be stronger, complement each other, strengthen the stability of our trade and economic ties and achieve serious results."

Acting Vice-President of the Armenian CCI Karen Ivanov shared the opinion that Chambers of Commerce should closely cooperate within two international organizations – the CIS and the EAEU. "The network of Chambers of Commerce and Industry is a kind of a global team, and an appeal from a Chamber of any country is always welcome and fulfilled. Cooperation has ­always been and will be fruitful," he said.

In addition, the participants noted that within the framework of the CIS and the EAEU, there is a task of import substitution and the development of ­unionwide supranational exports. Among the key tools, there are the creation of trading houses in third countries, participation in exhibitions and fairs, as well as pro­duct marketing. Joint work, combining the efforts of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, among ­other things, will be aimed at solving these tasks, as well as at achieving the common goals of sustainable development of all member states.

The events of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry within the framework of Belarus' chairmanship in the CIS and the 30th anniversary of the Commonwealth were ­continued by the thirteenth meeting of the ­Advisory Council of the Chambers of the ­Eurasian Economic Union member states.

During the meeting, the BelCCI Chairman Vladimir Ulakhovich, Senior Vice President of the CCI of Kyrgyzstan ­Roman Kasymov, Acting Vice President of the CCI of Armenia Karen Ivanov, Vice President of the CCI of Russia Vladimir Padalko discussed export support and promotion of the goods produced by the EAEU member states to the markets of third countries, obstacles to the free movement of goods, services, capital, labor in the internal market of the EAEU, the prospects for creating international commercial arbitration system within the Union, as well as the directions of the Chambers' work for the development of industrial cooperation within the EAEU.

In addition, the heads of the EAEU states' Chambers agreed on the chairmanship of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Kazakhstan in the Advisory Council in 2022, and also outlined the agenda of the next meeting.