Belarus, Indonesia eager to cooperate in nanotechnologies

Belarus and Indonesia plan to implement projects involving the creation of nanotech products. The information was released by Mr Sergei Chizhik, Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, on 5 March, BelTA has learned.

Some time ago the official visited Indonesia. During the trip the possibility of cooperation between Indonesian and Belarusian organizations in the area of nanotechnologies was discussed. The possibility of working together to make carbon, metal, and ceramic nanoparticles was considered. “Nanotech is one of the fields where we can find partners abroad,” underlined Sergei Chizhik.

Belarus also plans to implement a project with Vietnam. The project involves the production of atomic force microscopes. Apart from that, several Arab countries are ready to cooperate with Belarusian scientists.

Sergei Chizhik also mentioned the creation of a center for transfer and commercialization of nanotechnologies in Belarus. In his words, the center is part of the concept for developing the nanotech industry in the country but there is no need to accelerate the creation of the center because it is necessary to upgrade nanotech manufacturing standards in the country first. Nanotech industry development in Belarus is one of the most important areas. All the modern electronics uses nanoscale technologies. It is remarkable that healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry are moving in the same direction, too, he said.

Mr Dmitry Krupsky, Head of the Science and Innovation Policy Office of the Economy Ministry, remarked that the fifth technological paradigm has only ten years at most to live. The development of nanotechnologies will be the key part in the sixth technological paradigm. It is one of the reasons behind the adoption of the concept to develop the nanotech industry in Belarus and the establishment of a relevant association founded by 18 organizations. At present eight organizations of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus have specialized labs and sections to make nanotech products. Six organizations of the Industry Ministry and nine small businesses also specialize in nanotechnologies in Belarus.

There are plans to set up an interagency council to develop the nanotech industry under the Council of Ministers in the near future. Apart from that, nanotech producers are supposed to be granted a 50% income tax privilege.