Belarus, Kazakhstan team up for industrial park project

Belarus and Kazakhstan are working hard to set up an industrial and technological park for agricultural and municipal machines in the city of Kokshetau, Akmola Province, Kazakhstan. Five enterprises as well as the Belarusian State Agrarian Technical University will be involved in the project from the Belarusian side, BelTA learned from Oleg Morozov, Charge d'Affaires ad Interim of Belarus in Kazakhstan.

Analyzing the dynamics of the bilateral relations, the diplomat remarked that the sides are now past the stage of direct sales of Belarusian merchandise to Kazakhstan and it is time to set up joint ventures. “The work envisages the handover of Belarusian technologies, the transition to a new stage of joint work in the area of manufacturing cooperation from assembly enterprises to the establishment of joint ventures aiming to promote the joint product to third countries,” he said.

In particular, active work is in progress to create an industrial and technological park in the city of Kokshetau. Upon the initiative of the Belarusian side the project will involve more participants than envisaged initially. “It was planned that five Belarusian enterprises will take part in setting up the industrial and technological park. But we suggested getting research and education institutions of Belarus and Kazakhstan involved,” explained Oleg Morozov. Those are the Belarusian State Agrarian Technical University and the S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University. An education center will be set up using the two universities to teach students and offer on-the-job training in the industrial and technological park.

The Charge d'Affaires ad Interim of Belarus in Kazakhstan believes that the successful implementation of the project to create the industrial and technological park will be a convincing confirmation of the advantages offered by integration in the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. “It is a good serious project that will demonstrate that existing free conditions in the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space allow the development of manufacturing cooperation and R&D cooperation in addition to effective trade,” said the diplomat.