Developed industrial, scientific and export potential
Today, about one third of GDP is produced in the industrial complex. Belaruskaly (potash fertilizer plant), Minsk Tractor Plant (MT2), Minsk Automobile Plant (MA2), Belarusian Automobile Plant (BeIAZ), Belarusian Metallurgical Works (BMZ), Gomel Agricultural Machinery Works (Gomselmach) and other large enterprises are the symbols of the national industrial progress. Their production is well known in many countries of the world.
Economics of the Republic is export-oriented by its structure and scale of production. Today Belarus produces 30% of the world output of heavy haulers, 15% of mineral fertilizers, 6 % of tractors.
The country associates its economic prospects with the innovation development and mobilization of informational resources. Creation of the High Technology Depot is in progress in Belarus, which purpose is to develop software, information-communication and any other technologies aimed at increase in competitive ability, attraction of national and foreign investments to this sector. Depot residents will be granted a number of preferences, including exemption from profit tax, VAT tax, etc.
Highly skilled manpower which has accumulated experience of work at modern enterprises
450 workers in every 1000 employed in the workable sector of economy have got higher and secondary special education. Such a high qualification of workers could be ensured due to the personnel training system established in this country, in particular, in such branches and motor-car construction, construction of tractors and agricultural machines, optics, radio electronics, precise instrument-making, etc.
Belarus is an attractive, safe, and - which is the most important - promising and profitable country for any foreign investments, to which preference is given by the investors from many countries of the world, including Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, etc. Now this is for you to choose.
Made in Belarus
Today this "trademark" is known in 149 countries to which Belarus exports its products - more than one thousand descriptions ranging from the famous "'Belarus" tractors and giant BelAZ trucks to hardware and integrated circuits, potash fertilizers and cheese- The Belarusian exports soared nearly 3,5 times over the past ten years from $14 billion in 1996 to $42.1 billion in 2006 and generated more than 50% of the country's GDI* throughout these years. The latter factillustrates a high level of openness of the Belarusian economy.
The ever growing export of goods and services attests to the country's high level of development and shows the degree of its recognition by the international community Exports influence the slate of the economy, and hence the quality of life of the citizens. Therefore promotion of exports is a priority of both domestic and foreign policy of Belarus.
Fierce competition between producers of goods and services and an explosive growth of energy prices are the characteristic features of the present-day market, which lay down new rules of the game. This necessitates searching for new forms of presence in foreign markets, for uncharted ways of promoting Belarusian goods abroad, for boosting the quality of export products, their energy and material-intensity. In recent years the Belarusian exports grew on the back of mineral resources, largely oil and oil products The country's top priority now is to diversify its exports by stepping up the role of science-intensive and innovative products.
The need to diversify the export and import of energy supplies is another challenge of time, which Belarus has to respond to as a country with a well-developed industrial infrastructure and scanty energy resources of its own. This issue of Economy of Belarus Magazine unveils the changes in Belarus' foreign trade and shows how the relationships with the new partners from the Middle East, South-Eastern. Asia and South America develop.
As earlier, special place is given to the Belarus-Russia Union State news. Russia is Belarus' major trade partner after all.
The world market of services is rapidly expanding; in fact it is growing even faster than the market of goods. In this respect Belarus has good prospects: a stable financial system allows the country to quickly boost its banking services sector: advantageous geographical position provides nice opportunities for invigorating transportation services. The Belarusian education system also has great export potential: in four years the number of foreign students is expected to increase five-fold. Certainly we must not forget about the market of travel services - Belarus has got what it takes to amaze travel lovers from all over the world.
'"Made in Belarus" should be a source of pride as well as economic benefits.