Russia’s Murmansk Region and Belarus are advancing several projects that hold strategic importance for both parties — as noted by Murmansk Region Governor Andrei Chibis after his meeting with President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko on March 2nd
Ports and logistics
The Russian governor shared that during the meeting with the Belarusian leader, the parties thoroughly discussed all issues related to the development of the Northern Sea Route and the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor, as well as the topic of Arctic development, “There is a wide scope for partnership with our Belarusian partners here. We thoroughly discussed various options for enhancing logistics both to and from Belarus via the port of Murmansk and via the Northern Sea Route. This is a complex project, partly related to the railway’s capacity. We carefully reviewed the details and agreed that, together with government representatives, we will re-examine all potential models. What especially captured Aleksandr Grigorievich’s strong interest was not only the possibility of exporting Belarusian goods through the port of Murmansk but also the chance to import products from China and Asia. This is a strategic project for us.”
According to Mr. Chibis, logistics today is an issue of both security and efficiency for Russia and Belarus.
Mutual trade and industrial co-operation
Andrei Chibis also emphasised the increased mutual trade turnover, noting that it is growing at a good pace.
At present, 300 BelAZ vehicles are operating in the Russian region, with plans to continue purchasing this type of equipment throughout year. Additionally, a service centre for BelAZ maintenance has been opened in the Murmansk Region, and a training centre for specialists in servicing these vehicles has been established at the local university. 40 percent of the public transport fleet in the Murmansk Region is manufactured in Belarus.
The Russian governor also pointed out that exports from the Murmansk Region to Belarus are increasing, including active supplies of fish and seafood products.
Tourism
The number of Belarusian tourists visiting the Murmansk Region is noticeably increasing, in particular, their numbers have grown by 35 percent over the past year.
“We welcome everyone! Whales, the northern lights, and fresh, delicious seafood await you,” Mr. Chibis said.
Scientific interaction
Joint projects are also planned in the field of geological exploration. Specifically, the Russian delegation has scheduled a meeting with representatives of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
“The Kola Peninsula contains nearly 80 percent of the elements in the periodic table (this is what is currently known, and research continues). In this regard, rare earth metals are also a potential topic for joint projects. My meeting with Belarusian scientists is precisely for this purpose: to build additional liaisons where possible and, taking into account the experience accumulated since the Soviet era, to extract mineral resources more efficiently,” the Russian governor stated.