Belarus – Bashkortostan business forum

The business forum "Belarus – Bashkortostan", the opening of which was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Roman Golovchenko and the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov, was held at the Palace of the Republic in Minsk.

The event was organized by the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with partner organizations of the Republic of Bashkortostan as part of the visit to Belarus of the Head of the Russian region and a representative delegation of business circles – heads of more than 50 large enterprises in various fields.

The forum was moderated by the Chairman of the BelCCI Mikhael Miatlikov. In his welcoming speech, he noted that cooperation of Belarus and Bashkortostan is multifaceted, and over the past few years it has gained powerful momentum. In particular, the year 2023 was eventful. Ufa hosted the Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, and its program included some events organized by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. In addition, a large Belarusian delegation took an active part in the International Business Week in the capital of Bashkortostan. "Undoubtedly, business meetings are the key to new projects in industrial and investment cooperation, and it is evidenced by many examples," Mikhael Miatlikov noted.

The Chairman of the BelCCI also emphasized the significant interest shown by Belarusian companies in the meeting with the Bashkortostan business: "Today there are representatives of more than 350 Belarusian enterprises participating, representing all areas of activity. The interest shown in the forum even exceeds our expectations, which means that cooperation will develop even more actively."

As he was welcoming the forum participants, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Roman Golovchenko said that the forum was designed to give a boost to the economies of Bashkortostan and Belarus. The fact that the Palace of the Republic – one of the signature facilities of our capital –hosted a business forum speaks of the importance of cooperation and the active role of business in promoting bilateral contacts.

"We are not resting on our laurels. We are always on the lookout for new opportunities. For example, the project to produce caterpillar tractors in Bashkortostan on the basis of Belarusian developments is promising. The first batch of tractors has already been assembled. Trials are underway, models are being finalized taking into account the wishes of Bashkir users," Roman Golovchenko said.

According to the Prime Minister, the plans include expanding traditional areas of cooperation, increasing trade and mutual supplies. "We place very high hopes on the trade in Belarusian goods in Bashkortostan. We plan to open both multi-brand and mono-brand retail facilities which will offer Belarusian products, which are widely known in Russia, at affordable prices," he said.

The Belarusian Prime Minister called the Belarus – Bashkortostan business forum an excellent platform to establish new business ties and strengthen the existing ones, agree on new joint projects and conclude the necessary contracts.

"The success of our cooperation largely depends on your activity to generate new out-of-the-box ideas and bold solutions. Everything you do ultimately works towards a greater common goal - strengthening the technological sovereignty and food security of our countries. This business forum is an excellent platform to establish new business ties and strengthen the existing ones, agree on new joint projects and conclude the necessary contracts. I am sure that most of you have already arrived with some ideas and suggestions. I can assure you that the Belarusian government and our authorities will provide all possible support for any sensible initiatives aimed at strengthening our cooperation," Roman Golovchenko stressed.

The Chairman of the Belneftekhim concern Andrei Rybakov spoke on the successful experience of cooperation between Belarusian enterprises and their colleagues from Bashkortostan in the chemical and petrochemical industries, about prospects and projects to expand business ties in this area. The Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan Andrei Nazarov presented the region's opportunities for investment and industrial cooperation.

The business forum opening ceremony ended with the solemn presentation of the awards from the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus and the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan for personal contribution to strengthening bilateral cooperation.

The business forum continued with presentations by experts from government agencies and business support institutions on the prospects for implementing joint projects in the energy sector, including the use of renewable sources, tools for supporting and promoting bilateral business contacts, building a dialogue with the competent authorities, and the use of exchange mechanisms in bilateral trade.

After the plenary part, business representatives from Belarus and Bashkortostan had the opportunity to hold personal meetings and intense B2B negotiations.