Economic Forum-Workshop "Belarus - Central Asia: Pathways of Cooperation" was held in Brest

On June 17, the Economic Forum-Workshop "Belarus - Central Asia: Pathways of Cooperation" was held in Brest. It brought together representatives of the real economy, government agencies, and the expert community from Belarus and Central Asian countries.

The event was organised by the Brest branch of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the support of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The event provided a platform for exchanging experiences, discussing practical issues of trade and economic cooperation, and identifying solutions for successfully promoting Belarusian exports to the Central Asian region.

According to participants, the strong lineup of speakers enabled a lively and open dialogue between domestic and foreign experts, practitioners, and diplomats with more than 100 representatives of Belarusian exporting companies from across the country.

Given the rapid economic growth of this region, home to over 80 million people, key topics of discussion included the current state of trade with Central Asian countries, barriers and opportunities for growth in Belarusian exports in mechanical engineering, agricultural processing, veterinary and pharmaceutical products, construction materials and furniture, lumber, and much more. Belarusian participants were concerned about priority investment sectors and their protection, cooperation in environmental projects, science, industrial cooperation, export settlements and insurance, brand protection, legal issues - from counterparty due diligence to debt collection and enforcement of court decisions, optimal transport corridors for cargo delivery, digitalisation of supply chains, and cultural aspects that are so important to consider when doing business with partners from Central Asian countries.

Interest in the forum was undoubtedly boosted by the presence of speakers from the region, including Anora Turakhodjaeva, Advisor to Grata International Uzbekistan, and Sherzod Utkirkhodjaev, Managing Partner of the law firm Lexcell. They brilliantly presented and offered assistance on legal and administrative support for transactions, standardisation, certification, counterparty due diligence, e-commerce, and intellectual property protection.

The presentations by Belarusian diplomats in the region, including Denis Meleshkin, Consul General in Almaty, and Yuri Dmitrichkov, Counselor for Trade and Economic Affairs at the Embassy of Belarus in Turkmenistan, generated considerable interest. Numerous questions from participants on a wide range of existing issues are a testament to this. Some topics and tasks will be further developed individually.

The presentation by Gennady Klyga, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was particularly lengthy due to the large number of questions. He has experience as the head of trade and economic services at the Belarusian embassies in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, and has overseen bilateral relations with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan at the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Trade. The forum provided an excellent opportunity for individual consultations.

CJSC “Neo Bank Asia”, a clear market leader in settlements with Central Asian countries, is a point convincingly made by its Executive Director, Vasily Uglov. One of the most extensive correspondent networks is a clear advantage for the bank, which Belarusian exporters can take advantage of.

Experienced and renowned lawyers, including Sergei Beliavsky, Director of the law firm "Economic Disputes," and Daria Dombrovskaya-Beliaeva, a patent attorney and partner at the Beliaevs & Partners law firm, offered their services, expertise, and useful contacts to Belarusian businesses.

Sergey Omelyanuk, Regional Director of the international company AsstrA, presented optimal solutions for cargo transportation and logistics.

And, of course, the forum's lively and informative format is largely due to its moderators: Vitaly Vabishchevich, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Arbitrator of the International Arbitration Court, and Dmitry Viltovsky, Managing Partner of GRATA International.

The forum organisers thank all their esteemed partners, speakers, and participants for their active collaboration.