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Trade between Gomel Oblast, Germany over 20% up in 2018
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GOMEL, 3 April (BelTA) – Last year was one of the most successful years on record as far as economic cooperation between Gomel Oblast and Germany is concerned. Bilateral trade exceeded $1.16 billion in 2018, 121.9% as against 2017. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Belarus Peter Dettmar and Gomel Oblast Governor Vladimir Dvornik drew attention to these facts as they met in the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee, BelTA has learned.
Peter Dettmar underlined that the results that had been achieved represented the foundation, on which the sides should continue building cooperation in the future. “In Minsk I will encourage representatives of the German economy, the German-Belarusian economic club to pay more attention to Gomel Oblast in the sphere of investments, trade, and economy,” the ambassador told BelTA. He remarked that a number of enterprises with German capital successfully operate in the oblast capital, in the region, and in free economic zones. “There is a potential. It is being gradually explored but there is still a lot of work to do. One should never be satisfied with what there is,” Peter Dettmar is convinced.
In his words, the sides should concentrate and develop the areas that have evolved. The ambassador also believes it is important to step up efforts to raise the awareness about Gomel Oblast’s economic potential in Germany. “I also hope that more German investments will be channeled into Belarus in the future. I don’t want to talk in what form and in which regions for now,” the diplomat added. He mentioned the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone as a promising site.
Peter Dettmar also noted that Belarus, including Gomel Oblast, has beautiful landscapes. There are good opportunities for tourist trips here, he noted.
During the meeting Vladimir Dvornik stressed that trade turnover between Gomel Oblast and Germany has been steadily rising since 2015.
In 2018 Germany accounted for 11.9% of Gomel Oblast’s total trade and 24.2% of the region’s export. As many as 108 companies exported their products to Germany in 2018. The main ones were Belorusneft, the steel mill BMZ, the Rechitsa-based hardware plant RMZ, SvetlogorskKhimvolokno, and the Mozyr-based garment factory NADEX. Gomel Oblast imported from Germany such products as valves, faucets, and pipe accessories, all kinds of pumps, carbon electrodes, equipment for processing rubber and plastic, reciprocating internal combustion engines, and other things. Apart from that, in 2018 Gomel Oblast attracted $3.1 million from Germany as foreign direct investments.
In January 2019 Gomel Oblast’ trade with Germany totaled $88.5 million.
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