Partnership on the way to technological sovereignty

Belarus has showcased technological innovations from 24 enterprises at the 14th INNOPROM-2024 International Industrial Trade Fair, which over the years has acquired the status of a prominent global platform for industrial integration

Business meeting programme 

Another INNOPROM edition was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on July 8th-11th. A year ago, Belarus had a status of a partner country at INNOPROM. This status is transitional and the UAE has received it in 2024. Nevertheless, the exposition of our country this year was one of the most impressive, occupying 500 square metres, and featuring more than 20 manufacturers and several hundred innovative products. Such forums have traditionally been crucial platforms for communication. 
Within the framework of the forum, a large-scale programme of business meetings and negotiations was provided to interact both with partners in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Union State, as well as with a number of friendly countries, including Cuba and the UAE. 
The Belarusian exposition was not inferior to the booth of this year’s partner country — the United Arab Emirates — in terms of the range of novelty products and exhibition samples presented, and was particularly in demand among professional visitors, residents of foreign companies and the business community.
Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI) Mikhail Myatlikov provided insights into the Belarusian products unveiled at the exhibition, “The core of the Belarusian exposition consists of products created on the basis of industrial co-operation of the Union State enterprises. StankoGomel JSC [machine tool manufacturing company based in Gomel] has presented a Union State machine, fully equipped with Belarusian and Russian components. We have new refrigerators, which are a complete analogue of European, Korean, Japanese models. Their localisation is nearly 100 percent.”
Overall, the Belarusian side has prepared specifically for the forum a variety of unique exhibits in the field of machine building, polymer production, machine tool manufacturing and metallurgy, household appliances and electronics, as well as scientific developments and technology.  

Expanding markets

MAZ machinery at the 14th INNOPROM-2024 International Industrial Trade Fair      BELTA

One of the major innovations featured at INNOPROM-2024 is the MAZ-X hybrid tractor truck by Minsk Automobile Plant. This revolutionary concept has already been dubbed ‘the truck of the future’. The latest development of the Belarusian enterprise marks a real breakthrough in the truck market. According to Belarus’ Minister of Industry, Aleksandr Yefimov, “The vehicle’s concept envisages a low-floor cabin, a unique feature that ensures a fairly high level of comfort inside, which is an important aspect in the modern world. In addition, it is a hybrid, a highly efficient tractor truck capable of travelling long distances, more than 3,000 kilometres, with one filling. We expect that once in series production, this vehicle will be sold at the market price, with the same specifications and technical level. Our plan is to complete all tests and enter mass production by 2027.”  
Belarusian machine building enjoyed popularity at INNOPROM-2024. The head of Belarus’ Ministry of Industry held talks with the Cuban delegation on the sidelines of the forum regarding the establishment of a joint venture for the assembly of agricultural machinery. The first contract for the machine kit supply from Belarus was signed during the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Cuba to Minsk. The current talks are focused on enhancing the initial co-operative production and launching new projects. “The main driving force of our relations will be the project on the assembly production of Belarusian tractors and later, agricultural machines, trailed and mounted agricultural implements, which will enable the Cuban side to completely cover the entire line of necessary equipment. This initial project will be followed by agreements on co-operative projects involving cargo, passenger, road repair and utility equipment. Progress has been made on certain supplies to Cuba and planning joint projects in the household appliances sector,” noted Aleksandr Yefimov.
Naturally, the contacts of the Belarusian side were not limited to Cuba alone. The Made in Belarus exposition was set to welcome foreign guests and representatives of leading companies from the CIS and beyond. “The rich exposition and business programmes serve as a comprehensive solution in the implementation of measures to promote domestic brands and increase the export potential of the country,” commented Natalya Kurash, Director of the Belinterexpo Exhibition Unitary Enterprise of the BelCCI.

Foundation for co-operation

Belarus’ Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko at the 14th INNOPROM-2024 International Industrial Trade Fair    bELTA

INNOPROM has become in recent years the key platform for presenting advanced technologies that bring technological independence closer. Therefore, the statements of Belarus’ Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko during his speech at the plenary session of the 14th INNOPROM-2024 International Industrial Trade Fair were obviously directed toward the public, who recognised the significance of developing economic and technological state competencies. “This is a natural consequence of the fact that in conditions of global instability and economic wars, an increasing number of countries are becoming clearly aware of the importance of mutually respectful partnership in ensuring technological sovereignty,” Roman Golovchenko emphasised. “The Republic of Belarus has taken a clear course towards building an innovative national economy. We focus on the implementation of comprehensive projects involving the organisation of production with high economic potential, the creation and development of new scientific and engineering schools in the field of high technology.”   
In 2023, the share of innovative products in Belarus reached 22 percent, and the share of new or significantly improved products in the total volume of innovation made 56 percent. The share of research-intensive and high-tech products in the total volume of Belarusian exports amounted to almost 40 percent, as the Prime Minister stated. 
Belarus has achieved considerable success in technological partnership with its main partner, the Russian Federation, within the framework of the Union State integration. Over 60 programmes are currently underway to establish new centres of competence and high-tech industries. “This includes the Union Machine project for the production of goods with 100 percent localisation in the Union State. Following the implementation of the Avtoelectronics project, more than 300 results of scientific and technical activities have been obtained, and over 40 technologies have been developed. Within the framework of the Tekhnologiya-SG programme, there have been created more than 60 experimental and prototype samples of space products, as well as hardware and software complexes. The completion of the Skif-Nedra programme made it possible to reduce geological exploration costs by at least 20 percent. Belarusian scientists, in liaison with Rosatom, are developing a project in the field of nuclear medicine on targeted radiopharmaceuticals,” Roman Golovchenko listed interim results of the work.

The Prime Minister also announced new Belarus-Russia allied projects. Thus, in 2025, it is planned to complete the production of shafts and gears of the 5th-7th precision class, as well as hydraulic axial piston pumps with adjustable performance. In 2026, the production of components for agricultural machinery, previously imported from the European Union, will be launched. In 2027, Belarus will set up the production of a light multi-purpose Belarusian-Russian aircraft.

“The implementation of these and other projects will strengthen the Union State’s import independence,” the head of Belarus’ Government concluded. 

By Maksim Korotkin