Posted:
03.07.2024 13:05:33
All facets of co-operation
The 11th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia has been hosted by Vitebsk Region. It is for the first time that the forum was held simultaneously in three cities — Vitebsk, Polotsk and Novopolotsk. The Role of Interregional Co-operation in Building an Innovative Economy of the Union State became the key topic of the landmark Belarusian-Russian event.
Presidents of Belarus and Russia, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, made video statements at the plenary session of the 11th Forum of Regions
Quotes from the video message of the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, to the participants of the 11th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia
• Fraternal peoples should always be together, overcome emerging challenges shoulder to shoulder, and defend statehood, their traditions and values. Only together can we ensure the safety and well-being of our peoples.
• The Forum of Regions is one of the most successful and efficient projects of the Union State. It has become a unique dialogue platform, acquired its own peculiar, signature style and continues to grow with bold, ambitious initiatives.
• A total of 588 agreements have been concluded, and commercial contracts worth over ₽450 billion have been signed at the forum sites. Significant progress has been made in bringing macroeconomic, industrial, agricultural, scientific, technical and educational policies together.
• The issue of building an innovative economy in the Union State is now naturally on the agenda of the forum since ensuring technological sovereignty and national security in the modern world is unthinkable without developing and implementing innovative solutions. Belarus and Russia have all the necessary prerequisites for this.
• We have built the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP) and launched the production of multifunctional unmanned aircraft systems. We have developed a system of remote sensing of the Earth in order to prevent emergencies, as well as to design and build roads, and protect the environment. We explore outer space together, and plan to produce the most advanced aircraft.
• We must strive to ensure that innovation becomes the major driving force for the economies of Belarus and Russia.
• Priority should be given to preserving and strengthening the potential in the field of science and education.
• The development of an innovative economy in our countries is impossible without the active position of the regions. The creation of high-tech enterprises at the local level can become the most promising and sustainable points of economic growth.
• I am convinced that the ideas of the current Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will be implemented. We will reach a new level of integration of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, develop cutting-edge technologies and innovations, and put into practice our strategic priorities.
• The Forum of Regions is one of the most successful and efficient projects of the Union State. It has become a unique dialogue platform, acquired its own peculiar, signature style and continues to grow with bold, ambitious initiatives.
• A total of 588 agreements have been concluded, and commercial contracts worth over ₽450 billion have been signed at the forum sites. Significant progress has been made in bringing macroeconomic, industrial, agricultural, scientific, technical and educational policies together.
• The issue of building an innovative economy in the Union State is now naturally on the agenda of the forum since ensuring technological sovereignty and national security in the modern world is unthinkable without developing and implementing innovative solutions. Belarus and Russia have all the necessary prerequisites for this.
• We have built the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP) and launched the production of multifunctional unmanned aircraft systems. We have developed a system of remote sensing of the Earth in order to prevent emergencies, as well as to design and build roads, and protect the environment. We explore outer space together, and plan to produce the most advanced aircraft.
• We must strive to ensure that innovation becomes the major driving force for the economies of Belarus and Russia.
• Priority should be given to preserving and strengthening the potential in the field of science and education.
• The development of an innovative economy in our countries is impossible without the active position of the regions. The creation of high-tech enterprises at the local level can become the most promising and sustainable points of economic growth.
• I am convinced that the ideas of the current Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will be implemented. We will reach a new level of integration of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, develop cutting-edge technologies and innovations, and put into practice our strategic priorities.
Quotes from the video message of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to the participants of the 11th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia
• It is important that the current forum is dedicated to the role of interregional co-operation in building the innovative economy of the Union State. This is one of the most relevant topics since both Russia and Belarus are actively working to introduce new technologies into all spheres of economic life, and to boost the development of high-tech industries and agriculture.
• The package of agreements reached during the current forum comprises about 250 agreements and commercial contracts totalling ₽24 billion, which will promote Russia-Belarus trade and investment co-operation.
• Belarus is one of Russia’s key economic partners. In turn, Russia accounts for about 60 percent of Belarusian foreign trade transactions.
• In terms of accumulated investment in the Belarusian economy, Russia firmly holds the first place, with over $5 billion. About 2,500 companies with Russian capital are successfully operating throughout Belarus.
• It is thanks to the increasingly close integration that Russian and Belarusian companies get the opportunity to operate within a single economic landscape, without any barriers or obstacles.
• The Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Union State [approved on January 29th in St. Petersburg by the Presidents of Belarus and Russia — Editor’s note] envisages a number of joint high-tech projects on import substitution, the launch of new advanced production facilities and the introduction of competitive high value-added products to be implemented by Russia and Belarus in the period up to 2035.
• Regional research centres and universities are involved in active interaction carried out through the academies of sciences of the two countries, as well as through educational exchanges.
• Both Russia and Belarus will always remember that during the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War our peoples defended our Motherland together, liberated Europe at the cost of huge sacrifices and made a decisive contribution to saving the world from Nazism.
* * *
The plenary session of the forum was preceded by a meeting of the chairpersons of the upper chambers of Belarus’ and Russia’s Parliaments, Natalya Kochanova and Valentina Matviyenko respectively, with heads of state authorities of the regions of the Republic of Belarus and the subjects of the Russian Federation.
The historical mission of the current generations is to ensure the inevitability of the innovative development of the Union State. These words, pronounced by Chairperson of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova at the meeting, became the leitmotif of both the grandiose union event and the Union State building as a whole.
In terms of the amount of contracts concluded this year, the forum has surpassed all previous records: the countries have approached the mark of more than Br1bn 100m, or ₽30bn. Over 250 documents have been signed on the sidelines of the forum.
The 11th Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia has reached a new height in terms of the results achieved, as confirmed by Chairperson of the Federation Council of Russia’s Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko, “This indicates the relevance of this format. I believe that interregional co-operation is the backbone of our Union State. The heads of our states have created a unique example for the world — the Union State format, with two countries and a common economy.”
A number of exhibition events have taken place within the framework of the forum
The 11th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, Vitebsk Region
Exhibition showcasing the achievements in the national economy of the regions, Vitebsk 
Participants of the workshop discussed the application of advanced technologies in Belarus' and Russia's agro-industrial complex
All Belarusian regions, as well as seven Russian territories — Volgograd, Pskov, Penza, Saratov, Smolensk regions, the Republics of Bashkortostan and Buryatia — participated in the presentation of the regions of the two countries.
At the exhibition of Belarusian and Russian machinery, 25 enterprises unveiled 80 units of their products.
Intellectual Belarus is an exposition of the country’s scientific and technical achievements in agriculture, medicine, IT technologies. Drones, electric cars, the first Belarus-made laptop, a TV set with a transparent screen have been featured at the fair. Certain novelties only have prototypes, while some exhibits have already been taken to the assembly line.
Other notable events within the framework of the forum included an exhibition fair of artists and artisans, an exhibition Historical Vitebsk, a theme-based platform Together for Security, and a presentation of the cuisines of Belarus’ and Russia’s regions.
Piggy bank of joint activities
• Two contracts for the supply of cargo and passenger machinery totalling ₽4bn have been signed at the forum between MAZ JSC – Management Company of BELAVTOMAZ Holding and the official distributor MAZ RUS LLC.• The Bryansk Regional Duma has signed co-operation agreements with Gomel and Mogilev Regional Councils of Deputies. The agreements envisage the development of joint legislative activities, as well as interparliamentary, economic, social and cultural ties.
• An agreement has been signed between the Gomel Regional Executive Committee and the government of Orel Region on comprehensive trade and economic, scientific and technical, social, cultural and humanitarian co-operation.
• An agreement has been signed to establish friendly relations between the administrations of Voronezh and Frunzensky District of Minsk. This document is aimed at joint development of tourism, entrepreneurship, as well as cultural and educational processes.
• There have been signed a co-operation agreement between the Belarusian State University (BSU) and the St. Petersburg State University of Economics, as well as a protocol on academic and scientific exchange.
• The documents on co-operation between the BSU and Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod (UNN) – National Research University have been updated. These include agreements on co-operation in the fields of education and science, and on student exchange.
• A memorandum of understanding has been extended between the BSU and Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University.
Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by
