Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 13 December (BelTA) – Science and Technology Strategy: 2018-2040 will ensure the development of the intellectual economy, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences Vladimir Gusakov said at the Second Congress of Scientists of Belarus in Minsk on 13 December, BelTA has learned.

“The congress is to consider an important document: the draft Science and Technology Strategy: 2018-2040. This strategy will shape the future of the Belarusian science and economy. When drafting the strategy we carried out a systematic analysis of the trends in the development of new technologies, scrutinized long-term strategies in other countries, and systematized all the proposals and suggestions we received. The draft strategy was submitted for public discussions. We believe that to ensure the future of Belarus we need to strengthen its advantages in priority areas and move towards the leadership positions in the key promising areas of science and technology, to increase the productivity of innovations and integrate into the international research and innovation space. The draft strategy provides for the development of ‘intellectual Belarus’, the formation of the smart economy,” Vladimir Gusakov noted.

In his words, the draft strategy focuses on the sectors and activities that will be meeting people’s vital needs. These are industry, agriculture, energy and construction. “It is also necessary to accelerate the development of the sectors and activities that will shape the new quality of manufacturing processes, that will be of multi and inter-industry importance, and meet the world’s most progressive sci-tech requirements,” stressed the chairman of the NASB Presidium.

The draft strategy is divided in three stages of implementation: through 2020, 2030 and 2040. “At the first stage we will take stock of all achievements and groundwork. During the second one we will complete the digital modernization of traditional sectors, outline advantages in key economic sectors. The third one focuses on building up competences in the target segments of the economy, intellectualizing the society,” Vladimir Gusakov noted.