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MINSK, 18 October (BelTA) – Belarusian innovative projects in biotechnology will go on display at the ministerial conference of the Central European Initiative (CEI) headlined Biotechnology for Healthy and Active Life in CEI Region due in Minsk on 26 October, Chairman of the Belarusian State Science and Technology Committee Alexander Shumilin told a press conference on 18 October, BelTA has learned.

“The upcoming conference has caught great interest among Belarusian scientists and businessmen. Although the conference will be held in the ministerial format, we have decided to give our experts an opportunity to tell our CEI partners about Belarus’ scientific achievements and offer specific projects and ideas for European cooperation. The goal is to promote projects for joint implementation. Over 40 high-profile Belarusian experts have confirmed their participation in the event,” Alexander Shumilin remarked.

The forum’s participants are also expected to touch upon possible financing mechanisms for cooperation in the next years with a focus on biotechnology and support for partnership between science and industry. “Since the launch of the EU program Horizon 2020, Belarusian scientists have become partners in 30 projects and received about €6 million. The fact that our scientists have won several research tenders illustrates the advanced level of our science,” Alexander Shumilin added.

In 2017, Belarus presides in the CEI, which is why the CEI ministerial conference will take place in Minsk. The event is designed to resume a dialogue between high-level experts on the current stage of and prospects for cooperation in science, technology, and innovations in the CEI region. The conference is also meant to work out proposals on specific projects in the interests of the region and help formulate the CEI agenda for 2018-2020. Out of 18 CEI member states, 11 have already confirmed their participation.

The conference is expected to draw CEI ministers, officials in charge of science, technology, innovations, healthcare, agriculture, and food industry. R&D centers, non-governmental organizations working in biopharmaceutics and biotechnology for agriculture are invited to partake in the forum.