Belarus endorses the recommendation of the OECD in terms of upgrading SME capacity and has already developed specific measures to implement them, Belarus’ Economy Minister Vladimir Zinovsky said during the roundtable held as part of the OECD Eurasia Week 2016 in Paris.
Presenting a set of measures to implement the proposals of the OECD experts, Deputy Economy Minister Irina Kostevich emphasized that Belarus was interested in the further development of bilateral ties across numerous areas of interaction with the EU countries. ”
In this regard, our joint project, namely the peer review, is a unique chance to implement all the ideas which for various reasons have not yet been executed, and to make the roadmap, which is currently in the works, truly results-oriented”, the deputy minister said.
Irina Kostevich said that the recommendation on the need to apply a strategic approach to the development of small and medium-sized businesses had already been reflected in the state program “Small and medium enterprises in the Republic of Belarus” for 2016-2020 which was approved by the government.
It provides for crafting a SME development strategy for the period of up to 2030. In 2017 the strategy will be finalized and a set of measures for its implementation will be developed.
Another OECD recommendation is about the strengthening of the institutions involved in the policy-making regarding the support of small and medium-sized enterprises in Belarus. Belarus plans to give new powers to the business support bodies and involve the private business in the policy-making.
The Belarusian delegation also participated in the OECD business forum on private sector and governance of state-owned enterprises. On the sidelines of the OESCE Eurasia Week Vladimir Zinovsky met with Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Matthias Fekl of France. The parties discussed the interaction of Belarus and France, which, according to Vladimir Zinovsky, had been gaining momentum.
“Belarus is a reliable and efficient partner. The government has been taking all necessary measures to maintain the macroeconomic stability, to create favorable conditions for foreign investment and business with a view to enhancing the competitiveness of the economy as a whole”, the minister said. (BelTA/Business World Magazine)
