Business Forum “The Republic of Belarus – Member States of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation”, Minsk, 29-30 May 2018
On 29-30 May 2018 in Minsk, Republic of Belarus, took place the Business Forum “The Republic of Belarus – Member States of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation”, which was jointly organised by the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, the Belorussian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the PABSEC.
At the opening of the Forum, Mr. Vladimir Ulakhovich, Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Sergey Rakhmanov, Chairman of the Standing Committee on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, Mr. Vladislav Shchepov, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Policy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus and the PABSEC Secretary General Mr. Asaf Hajiyev addressed the participants.
In the work of the forum also participated Mr. Ozcan Ulupinar, Chairman of the PABSEC Cultural, Educational and Social Affairs Committee, the members of the Bulgarian PABSEC delegation Mr. Pavel Hristov and Mr. Valentin Kasabov, member of the Russian PABSEC delegation Mr. Maksim Shchablykin, Mr. David Saganelidze, the PABSEC Special Representative to the Silk Road projects, as well as the representatives of business circles from Belarus, Georgia, Greece and China.
In the speeches during the plenary sitting of the forum it was stressed that Belarus is interested in participating in transport and logistic projects in the Black Sea region and has prospects to participate in the projects for construction of a major logistical network. The great potential of the Black Sea region in the revival of the Great Silk Road was noted as well as the role of China in the development of the multilateral project One Belt - One Road.
In his speech, the PABSEC Secretary General underlined the significance of organizing a business forum with the participation of the PABSEC and stressed the usefulness of bringing together parliamentarians and representatives of the business community which aims more effective cooperation in all spheres in the context of the rapid development of information and communication technologies that narrows time and enlarges the space for getting information. The Secretary General also noted the importance of the participation of Chinese colleagues in the work of this forum and invited everyone to the next PABSEC business forum planned to be held in Istanbul in February 2019.
At the end of the official part of the Business Forum, bilateral meetings between the business circles of Belarus and the BSEC member states took place. Prospects of trade and economic cooperation in the spheres of tourism, agriculture, energy, railway transport, logistics, etc. were discussed.
The participants in the Forum visited the China-Belarus industrial park “Great Stone” and acquainted with the progress of its construction. The park is located in a unique natural complex very close to the international airport, railway lines, the Berlin-Moscow transnational highway. In the Park territory it is planned to construct production and residential areas, office and shopping malls, financial and research centres.
The Forum participants also visited the international exhibition TehInnoProm and got acquainted with the innovative products and technologies exhibited at there.