Business news

20 May 2019

Belarus ready to implement major construction projects in Russia’s Lipetsk Oblast

MOSCOW, 20 May (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to implement civil engineering projects in Lipetsk Oblast on a brand new level. The statement was made by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Vladimir Semashko, who led a Belarusian delegation on a visit to Lipetsk Oblast on 20 May, BelTA has learned.

The delegation met with Lipetsk Oblast Acting Governor Igor Artamonov. The sides discussed trade and economic cooperation, interaction in industry and civil engineering, agriculture, housing and utilities industry. “Cooperation in the manufacturing sector – sales of Belarusian trucks, agricultural machines, and passenger vehicles, refrigerators, electric and gas stoves, construction materials – has been and will be the foundation of our interaction,” Vladimir Semashko said.

Among priority avenues for advancing cooperation the ambassador mentioned civil engineering. “Belarusian construction companies are ready to take manufacturing cooperation in the area of housing and social construction to a brand new level by leveraging the experience Belarusian companies accumulated while working in Kaluga Oblast, Kursk Oblast, and Smolensk Oblast. For instance, they can participate in the construction of a Belarusian city block in Lipetsk, the construction of social and cultural facilities in the oblast, the construction of roads and road infrastructure across the entire region, including in the course of implementing the Russian national project Safe and Quality Automobile Roads,” Vladimir Semashko stressed.

In turn, the acting governor said: “Lipetsk Oblast is particularly interested in cooperation with Belarus in the spheres of beautification and accomplishment, water supply, construction of social facilities.” In his words, supplies of machines and vehicles, the sphere of housing and utilities represent high priorities. Igor Artamonov said he was confident that partnership relations will become more advanced in the sphere of road construction, manufacturing cooperation in housing and social construction, the development of cooperation in healthcare, culture, science, education, and youth policy.

Igor Artamonov went on saying: “We are interested in package cooperation proposals on integrated real estate development including all the amenities. Such projects have already been implemented in other regions of Russia.” Igor Artamonov also suggested Belarusian partners should get involved in the construction of water pipes and wastewater treatment facilities, should organize a demonstration of Belarusian municipal vehicles in the region. He praised the quality of road repairs in Lipetsk, which Belarusians had previously done according to the specified schedule.

The ambassador pointed out opportunities for starting the joint production and aftersales service of municipal vehicles. He mentioned that road maintenance vehicles based on MAZ chassis can be assembled in order to take care of motorways in summer and in winter. The Belarusian company OAO Mogilevliftmash can participate in lift acquisition tenders. He mentioned Belarus’ readiness to satisfy any needs for trucks, road construction machines, municipal vehicles, forest-harvesting machines, and machine tools. The diplomat confirmed the intention of the Belarusian automobile engineering company BelAZ to continue working with Lipetsk companies to sell more Belarusian mining vehicles and expand the network of aftersales service centers. Over 230 BelAZ haul trucks are now in use in Lipetsk Oblast. The ambassador also said what the Belarusian side could do in the future to provide the region with grain and forage harvesters using various financial tools. In 2018 Lipetsk Oblast farmers bought a total of 819 tractors, grain and forage harvesters, beet harvesters, and other agricultural machines of Belarusian make.

Vladimir Semashko added: “Belarusian farmers can also sell more meat and dairy products to the region as well as seed potatoes. There are opportunities for working together in animal husbandry, the artificial selection of grain crops, the exchange of technologies for processing agricultural products.”

The ambassador suggested signing an agreement between the Belarus government and the Lipetsk Oblast administration on cooperation in trade, economy, science, technology, social and cultural spheres during the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, which is due in St Petersburg on 16-18 July. Vladimir Semashko also invited representatives of the region to take part in the international specialized expo Belagro 2019 on 4-9 June and the Belarusian Industrial and Investment Forum on 17-20 September.

The Belarusian delegation visited the special economic and industrial zone Lipetsk and OOO Lipetskoblsnab. The latter specializes in wholesale trade in agricultural and forest machines and equipment, including their maintenance and repairs. A dealership agreement was signed between the Belarusian agricultural machinery engineering company Gomselmash and Lipetskoblsnab on selling Belarusian products, organizing aftersales service of the products in Russia. Apart from that, Vladimir Semashko presented keys to new Amkodor and Gomselmash vehicles to Russian buyers.

The Belarusian delegation included representatives of the Architecture and Construction Ministry, heads and representatives of construction, industrial, and agricultural enterprises such as Minskpromstroy, Belengineeringstroy-invest, Polymerconstruction, Mogilevliftmash, Gintari, Amkodor, Gomselmash, and other ones.