Business news

ISTANBUL, 12 November (BelTA) - Belarus and Turkey plan to increase mutual trade up to $1 billion in 2016, Belarus’ Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov, BelTA has learned.

"Next year’s target is to build up the bilateral trade up to $1 billion. Today it is about $600 million. This is absolutely a feasible task. More so, it is an intermediate one,” said Andrei Kobyakov.

He expressed the belief that the investment forum in Turkey is timely. This is a time when Turkey is on the rise. It is actively seeking partners in the world. Today's talks with the Economy Minister showed that Turkey is committed to developing the relations with Belarus. Our partners are ready to hold the next meeting of the commission on trade and economic cooperation as early as next year, said the Belarusian head of government. The commission will discuss certain areas of mutual interest.

Andrei Kobyakov noted that about 20 documents aimed at bolstering the economic ties between the two countries were signed during the Belarusian investment forum on 12 November.

Attending the Belarusian Investment Forum are about 600 business representatives and officials of the two countries. The Belarusian delegation includes representatives of the Economy Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Bank, the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus, the National Agency of Investment and Privatization, the Industrial Park Development Company, the administrations of the Free Economic Zone Mogilev and the Free Economic Zone Grodnoinvest.

The program includes presentations by officials from Belarus and Turkey, and the panel discussions across three large clusters: macroeconomics, investment climate, presentation of investment projects and sites of Belarus.