CIS to inject $190m in pilot innovative projects

Member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States will allocate $190 million for pilot innovative projects, Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich told a press conference after the CIS Heads of Government Council session in Minsk on 30 May, BelTA has learned.

One of the main issues on the session’s economic agenda was the progress in the implementation of the interstate program for innovative cooperation of the CIS member states set to run until 2020 and a corresponding action plan for 2012-2014.

“We decided that in 2014 the governments will carry out necessary procedures for the financing of 11 pilot innovative projects which were approved a year ago. The projects’ cost amounts to $190 million,” the Prime Minister said.

The CIS members believe that these projects are very promising. There are good prospects for the enhancement of partnership between the CIS member states, Mikhail Myasnikovich remarked. “In our opinion, these projects must turn into transnational scientific and industrial corporations competitive on global markets,” he added.

The Belarusian head of government stressed that the CIS has a lot to do in this field. Mikhail Myasnikovich said that other heads of government share this concern. Therefore, it was decided that today’s session should focus on the promotion of innovative activities in the Commonwealth.