In 2011, Belarus plans to attract up to $6 billion in direct investment

July 27, Minsk /Lyudmila Sats - BELTA/. Belarus plans to attract up to $6 billion in direct investment in 2011. This was stated today by Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, according to a BELTA correspondent. Currently, the most difficult situation in Belarus's investment policy is observed in attracting direct investment. "We are setting a task for 2011 to reach the level of up to $6 billion in direct investment," the prime minister said. Sergei Sidorsky set a task for the regions to significantly improve their work in this area. Speaking generally about the investment situation in the country this year, he noted that in the first half of 2010, investments were short by Br2.2 trillion. According to him, this amount will need to be compensated in the second half of the year to achieve the planned investment growth rate for 2010 (125%). Sergei Sidorsky paid special attention to the shortcomings of some government bodies in commissioning facilities in the first half of 2010. "I ask you to treat these issues with the utmost seriousness. Investment and innovation programs are two different documents, but they combine the most important elements - attracting direct investment and accelerated technical modernization of the Belarusian economy," the prime minister said. Touching upon the issues of economic development in the second half of 2010, Sergei Sidorsky emphasized that higher development rates are planned for this period than for the previous half-year. To reach the main parameters in 2010 and by the end of the five-year period, further GDP growth of at least 110% must be ensured, as well as good growth rates in industrial production and fixed capital investment. For agriculture, there are all opportunities to make up the missing 6-7% of the plan. According to the prime minister, 40% of the areas have been harvested to date, and more than 3 million tons of grain have been collected. Sergei Sidorsky believes that there are all grounds to improve performance in the agricultural sector. In the opinion of the prime minister, the fulfillment of the 2010 and five-year targets is realistic. At the same time, he believes that well-thought-out, painstaking work by republican and local government bodies, enterprises and organizations should play a significant role here. -0-