Astrakhan and Vitebsk regions strengthen partnership ties

The guests visited a number of agricultural enterprises and held business negotiations with Astrakhan entrepreneurs. Issues of strengthening mutual trade, economic, and humanitarian ties between the two regions were discussed during a working meeting with Governor of the Astrakhan region Alexander Zhilkin.  

“The geographical remoteness of Belarus from the Lower Volga region has not become a deterrent to building mutually beneficial cooperation, primarily for business,” noted Alexander Zhilkin. 3.5 thousand Belarusian business entities have found their niche in the Astrakhan market and are successfully conducting business. 

Belarusian household appliances, furniture, textiles, and food products are in high demand. Fairs of Belarusian goods are held in Astrakhan and its districts. Astrakhan farmers note the high quality of Belarusian agricultural machinery.

At the same time, Alexander Zhilkin believes that the potential for trade and economic cooperation between the Astrakhan and Vitebsk regions is far from exhausted. The head of the region proposed that partners consider the possibility of locating their production facilities in the Astrakhan special economic zone "Lotos". He also noted that Astrakhan residents, in turn, are interested in the experience of the "Vitebsk" free economic zone.

“Leveraging the well-established trade and economic ties with the Caspian Sea countries, we are ready to assist in promoting Belarusian goods along the international transport corridors "North-South" and "East-West"," the Astrakhan governor offered to his Vitebsk counterpart.

Alexander Zhilkin and Nikolay Sherstnev also discussed possible areas for implementing joint projects in the agro-industrial complex, fish farming, tourism, education, and culture. The readiness to establish fruitful joint work was recorded in the protocol of the meeting signed by the heads of the regions.

“This is the beginning of a great undertaking,” stated Nikolay Sherstnev, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. “We included representatives of businesses in the delegation who are forging their own way into the Russian markets. Now is the time to support the initiative of our entrepreneurs, to lend them a hand.” According to the head of the Vitebsk region, for this, “it is necessary to develop the economy of our enterprises, increase the cost of goods, and take care of their quality – so that they, as they say, go directly to Russia, and in particular, to the Astrakhan region, without intermediaries.”

Following the visit of the Vitebsk region delegation, a plan of joint events for the development of bilateral cooperation between the cities of Astrakhan and Vitebsk was also signed, as well as a cooperation agreement between the regional branch of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of the Astrakhan region and the Vitebsk Employers’ Union.

Source: http://jilkin.ru/news/astrahanskaya-oblast-i-belarus-ukreplyayut-partnyorskie-svyazi