Belbiograd project launched in Belarus

The implementation of the project to create a hi-tech park specializing in pharmaceutics, nano and biotechnologies Belbiograd has begun in Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the State Science and Technology Committee.

Belbiograd will occupy 167.3 hectares. The industrial zone of Belbiograd will be an autonomous territory (a subpark) in the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park. The creation of Belbiograd will attract $8.55 billion in foreign investments to Belarus. Over 37,000 new jobs will be created.

In addition to Belbiograd other technological clusters will be developed in Belarus. A total of 30 corporations were registered as residents of technological clusters in 2012, with 126 jobs created. The central state budget has allocated Br34 billion to develop the physical component of the innovation infrastructure.

The total volume of foreign currency transferred to Belarusian research and manufacturing corporations as part of the contracts signed with foreign partners stands at $65 million.

In 2012 Belarus exported over $10 billion worth of science-intensive and hi-tech products, 3 times as much as in 2011. The share of innovation-active corporations in the production sector rose from 22.7% to 24.8%.

Last year Belarus considerably improved its position in international rankings. In the World Bank’s Knowledge Economy Index Belarus now occupies the 59th position out of the 146 ranked countries (11 positions up).