Delegations from 15 countries arrived in the city on the Sozh River. For the twentieth time, the anniversary Gomel Economic Forum showcased the potential of the region and provided an excellent opportunity to establish new friendships, find business partners, and conclude mutually beneficial contracts.
Welcoming foreign guests, Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Ivan Krupko noted that over twenty years the forum has evolved from a regional business platform into an authoritative international venue where ideas are born, strategic decisions are made, and partnerships and human connections are strengthened. The results of previous forums speak for themselves: over the years, 125 agreements totaling more than 2.7 billion USD have been signed.
This spring, representatives of countries and regions connected not only by business relations but also by genuine mutual trust built through years of cooperation gathered once again in Gomel. According to the governor, the modern world is changing rapidly, but sincere human relations and friendship will always remain valuable.
“The Gomel Region is always open to cooperation and honest partnership. We are ready for new projects, joint productions, investments, educational and cultural initiatives,” Ivan Krupko emphasized.
The final part of the XX Gomel Economic Forum program was a visit to the exhibition showcasing the achievements of the southeastern region of Belarus.
Traditionally, the largest delegation at the forum represented the Russian Federation. Ivan Krupko highlighted the particularly close and multifaceted cooperation with the Bryansk, Nizhny Novgorod, Smolensk, Oryol, Belgorod, and Chelyabinsk regions, as well as Bashkortostan, Yakutia, Primorsky Krai, and several other Russian regions.
This year, the Fergana Region of the Republic of Uzbekistan was widely represented at the forum. The delegation was headed by regional khokim Khayrullo Bozarov, who emphasized Uzbekistan’s clear intention to deepen strategic cooperation in the agro-industrial sector and industrial cooperation.
Economic, trade, humanitarian, and cultural ties between the Gomel Region and Kazakhstan, China, Pakistan, India, Zimbabwe, Qatar, Iran, the UAE, and Vietnam continue to strengthen. Relations with Slovakia and Japan are also developing.
As Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Belarus Nguyen Van Trung noted, the Vietnamese side sees with great satisfaction how the practical results of the forum continue to grow year after year, while the long-standing friendship has already reached the level of a genuine strategic partnership. According to the ambassador, Belarusians can always rely on Vietnam’s support in international projects. Nguyen Van Trung also invited Belarusian enterprises to establish assembly lines in Vietnam and increase supplies of dairy and other high-quality products. In turn, Vietnam is prepared to expand exports of fruit, coffee, rice, and seafood. Gomel itself, according to the ambassador, could become a key distribution hub for goods moving from Asia to the West.
Foreign guests expressed confidence that the anniversary forum would open new opportunities for expanding cooperation in all areas. Key sectors of mutual interest were identified, including mechanical engineering, the agro-industrial complex, scientific technologies and artificial intelligence, and education.
During the forum, landmark cooperation documents between organizations and regions were signed. These included memorandums of intent in the areas of digital development for housing and utilities, education and tourism with “Sber Bank”, infrastructure development and modernization of the “Mashinostroitel” health resort, establishment of an industrial park with the Gomel-Raton Free Economic Zone, reconstruction of a workshop at OJSC “Krasny Mozyryanin”, modernization of a product preservation workshop with the experimental base “Krinichnaya”, and several other projects.
At the plenary session, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Rogachev District Executive Committee and “Logon Agrosanoat Lux” LLC from Uzbekistan’s Fergana Region. Overall, agreements totaling more than 100 million BYN were signed.
As part of the forum, solemn rallies were held at Vosstaniya Square and Truda Square in Gomel. Participants paid tribute to and honored the heroes and victims of the Great Patriotic War.
