Fifty representatives of Finnish companies from various industries took part in the Belarusian-Finnish economic forum on September 13, in Gomel, Director General of the Gomel department of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Marina Filonova reported.
She mentioned high activity of Finnish businessmen who had sent many applications for participation.
“It means that they are really interested in the improvement of relations with the Belarusian side”, Marina Filonova stressed.
Partaking in the forum in Gomel were the representatives of various industries, including the manufacture of industrial and energy equipment, production of car parts, transport and logistics sector.
“These include the representatives of Finnish business associations, and entrepreneurs from various regions”, Marina Filonova added.
On Belarus’ behalf, partaking in the Gomel forum were the representatives of the Energy Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Ministry, the National Agency for Investment and Privatization.
The program of the forum included a plenary meeting. It was attended by the Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland Matti Anttonen, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Andrei Yevdochenko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Finland Alexander Ostrovsky, Ambassador of Finland to Lithuania and Belarus non-resident Christer Michelsson, Chairman of the Gomel region Executive Committee Vladimir Dvornik.
During the bilateral business talks and other specialized meetings the representatives of Belarusian and Finnish business circles discussed cooperation in various fields, including the energy sector, household and industrial wastes processing, farm machine-building, information technologies, application of modern technologies and equipment in the food industry. The guests studied the potential of the Gomel-Raton free economic zone and the High-Tech Park. They visited several Gomel-based enterprises, including Milkavita, Gomselmash, Gomeldrev. The business delegation also visited the Belarusian Research Center of Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology, the Gomel park and palace complex.
The Belarusian-Finnish business forum took place on September 13-14. It was the fifth forum, and Gomel hosted it for the first time. (BelTA/Business World Magazine)