GOMEL, 26 August (BelTA) – Gomel Oblast of Belarus and Bryansk Oblast of Russia have signed an agreement on cooperation in trade, economic, sci-tech, humanitarian and cultural areas, BelTA learnt from spokeswoman for the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee Olga Ryabikova.
The signing ceremony of the document that will outline cooperation areas between the border regions of Belarus and Russia within the next three years took place during the 5th Slavonic Economic Forum in Bryansk.
A delegation of Gomel Oblast led by Governor Vladimir Dvornik took part in the event. Speaking at the plenary session that preceded the signing of the agreement, Vladimir Dvornik noted that interregional cooperation between Gomel and Bryansk Oblasts are developing within the framework of ten agreements on twinning and partner relations and is based on the priorities of the foreign policy of the two states and mutually beneficial interests.
A bright example of this cooperation is a joint company producing agricultural equipment and machinery Bryanskselmash. Over the past ten years the company’s staff increased from 35 to 250 people. “Today fodder and grain harvesting equipment produced at the company accounts for 40% of the Russian market of agricultural equipment. This year Gomselmash supplied Bryansk Oblast with products worth more than $18 million, which is 44% of the company’s total exports. There are positive examples in other sectors of the real economy as well. Molochnoye Kruzhevo trading house was opened in the city of Klintsy, Bryansk Oblast in 2009. The trading house sells dairy products of Gomel companies. Over the time the exports of meat and dairy products soared by one third to make up $18 million in late 2015. In January-June 2016 deliveries of Gomel products to Bryansk Oblast equaled the last year’s level and totaled almost $9 million,” the Gomel Oblast Governor said.
Vladimir Dvornik stressed: “There is no doubt that mutually beneficial cooperation will continue developing in the interests of the residents of Bryansk and Gomel Oblasts. This will also be promoted by the cooperation agreement signed between the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee and the Government of Bryansk Oblasts. We have one important goal which is to make our society prosperous.”