BREST, 17 June (BelTA) - Around 120 participants have gathered in Brest for the economic workshop forum Belarus - Central Asia: Paths of Cooperation, BelTA has learned.
The forum brought together business representatives and experts with experience working with countries in the Central Asian region across various sectors. “Finding new markets and new niches is one of the key tasks. Speaking of Central Asia, it’s hard to say that this is a new market for Belarus. These are post-Soviet countries, CIS members, and we are in the Eurasian Economic Union with several of them. Attention to this region is growing, not only from the Republic of Belarus but also from other major players - from the West to China,” said Vitaly Vabishchevich, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI).
According to him, the countries of Central Asia, despite having much in common, differ from one another. They are attractive for cooperation and are developing dynamically, with growing investment and expanding logistics routes. “Belarus’ economy is complementary to the economies of Central Asian countries. Our agricultural sector, mechanical engineering, and IT industry are exactly what Central Asian countries need and are interested in. And it would seem that with the Russian language, understanding the mentality of these states, and very long historical ties... On the one hand, it all seems simple, but on the other hand, enterprises have many questions about working in these markets,” Vitaly Vabishchevich said.
Forum participants will be briefed on the nuances of working in Central Asia and shown a clear path to entering the markets of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Experts will advise on how to choose a niche, overcome barriers, select a partner, and achieve sustainable exports with minimal risks.
“The Central Asian region is demonstrating impressive economic growth rates. It is a large, dynamically developing market of strategic interest to the Republic of Belarus as a whole and to Brest Oblast in particular. The numbers confirm this. Last year, Brest Oblast’s trade with Central Asian countries grew by 16%. Our key task is to build new, highly effective vectors of interaction in trade, investment, and industrial cooperation,” emphasized Brest Oblast Vice Governor Mikhail Batsenko.
The event has been organized by the Brest branch of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the support of BelCCI.
