II Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine takes place in Zhytomyr

The II Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine is taking place on October 3-4 in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. The event is being held in various formats. Representatives of the governmental and business circles of the two countries, heads of local authorities, as well as heads of state are expected to participate, BelTA reports.

Since the early morning, an exhibition of large-sized equipment has been operating in the center of Zhytomyr, showcasing products from Belarusian and Ukrainian enterprises – a total of 75 exhibits, including new items. The Belarusian side is represented by 15 manufacturers, and the Ukrainian side by ten. A fair of products and decorative and applied arts from Belarus and Ukraine has been organized nearby.

The forum program for October 3 includes a regular meeting of the bilateral consultative council for business cooperation, negotiations between representatives of Ukrainian and Belarusian companies, a meeting of the joint commission for coordinating issues of protection and sustainable use of transboundary protected areas, and an eco-forum.

Specialists will also discuss problematic issues of mutual trade turnover regarding the use of veterinary and sanitary measures, an official meeting between the heads of regions of Ukraine and Belarus with the head of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration, a round table "Development of River Navigation on the Dnieper and Pripyat Rivers," and a forum and exhibition of high technologies, robotics, mechatronics, and startups. At the latter event, BSU alone will present about 20 developments, including a model of a university nanosatellite.

In the evening, a friendship concert will be held in Zhytomyr with the participation of artists and creative groups from Belarus and Ukraine.

On the following day, October 4, a plenary session is planned with the participation of representatives of the governments of the two countries and heads of regions. Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Volodymyr Zelensky are also expected at the forum on this day.

On September 26, during a meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian media, the President of Belarus stated that the Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine project is significant not only for both countries but also for him personally. He recalled that two years ago, the Ukrainian leadership supported this idea, and the first such forum took place in Gomel a year later. "The results were not long in coming. Such meetings help to build up very necessary interregional ties, primarily in trade and economy," noted the head of state.

According to him, trade and economic relations are the key component of Belarusian-Ukrainian partnership, and the achievements in this area are significant. In 2018, the trade turnover between the countries amounted to almost $5.5 billion. "Joint ventures are operating, there are quite a few common infrastructure projects. Close cooperation ties unite us. And it must be said that this process is constantly strengthening and growing," stated Alexander Lukashenko.

At the same time, he noted that the upcoming meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky would provide an opportunity not only to get acquainted personally on a human level but also to better understand and learn each other's positions on various issues. "I promise to be honest and sincere in our conversation. That's my specialty. I am used to speaking honestly," said Alexander Lukashenko. "I guarantee you, we will find common ground."

Touching upon the topics to be discussed in Zhytomyr, Alexander Lukashenko then noted that any interstate relations have their own agenda. "Our negotiations will cover the economy and joint projects. For example (this is not the main point), rocket engineering is an important topic for us. We have already started building a new rocket ourselves, but we lack the expertise and experienced personnel. You have them. We don't need to build an intercontinental missile. Why not discuss this project and instruct specialists to work on it," said the President. "The issue of hydrocarbons is very important for you and for us."

It is expected that following the forum, a number of documents on the development of interregional cooperation in various fields, as well as agreements at the enterprise level, will be signed. The event was preceded by extensive work at the regional, enterprise, and organisational levels, and some future outcomes are already known.

For instance, it was reported that the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee plans to sign agreements on trade and economic, scientific and technical, and cultural cooperation with the administrations of Odesa, Vinnytsia, and Cherkasy regions; enterprises of the Gomel region expect to sign contracts worth over $40 million; an agreement on cooperation will be signed by the Grodno and Volyn regions; the Brest region will sign agreements on trade and economic, scientific and technical, and cultural cooperation with the Volyn and Zakarpattia regions; Pinsk and Ternopil plan to sign an agreement on partnership and cooperation.

News of Belarus (BELTA)