VIII International Belarusian-Lithuanian Forum and III International Belarusian-Finnish Forum to take place in Grodno

16 April 2012

On April 18-19, 2012 Grodno will hold the VIII International Belarusian-Lithuanian Forum and the III International Belarusian-Finnish Forum. The event is organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Lithuania and the Ministry of Economy of Belarus, the Grodno Regional Executive Committee, the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Republican Association of Industrial Enterprises.

On the Lithuanian part the forum is organized by the Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists, the Business Cooperation Council Belarus – Lithuania, industry associations, the Association of Local Authorities of Lithuania. On the Finnish part organizers are the Finnish-Belarusian Trade Association, Finpro Inc., the John Nurminen Foundation, the MW Power Oy Company.

The forums will bring together the chairs of regional associations of entrepreneurs, business leaders and potential investors.

The forum program provides plenary and breakout sessions. The participants will discuss the key issues of bilateral cooperation in the framework of four sessions dedicated to the economic, scientific, technical and humanitarian topics; ecological and environmental projects; transport and logistics; development of small-scale power generation and engineering.

Note: The main purpose of the forum is to enhance trade and economic, scientific and technical cooperation between Belarus, Lithuania and Finland, to demonstrate the existing economic potential of Belarus, to promote new partnership, to strengthen the export potential of domestic enterprises in overseas markets.

Lithuania has traditionally been an important trade partner of Belarus. In recent years trade and economic cooperation between the two countries is characterized by stable positive dynamics. In 2011 the bilateral trade reached the record level at 1 billion 160 million U.S. dollars. Lithuanian investments increased by more than 2.3 times in comparison with 2010 (114.4 million dollars); sales of services totaled $ 550 million (up 18.3%).

In recent years the Republic of Belarus has been actively expanding collaboration with the Republic of Finland. In 2011 the turnover has reached 207 million U.S. dollars. Belarus' export increased by 21.7% to $ 67.5 million dollars. Investments have exceeded 40.5 million U.S. dollars. The cooperation in small-scale power generation and environmental projects develops actively.

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