Karelia will continue to develop tools to support exports and imports with the Republic of Belarus
On November 20, the ninth meeting of the Working Group on Developing Cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Karelia was held at the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus. The meeting served as an important platform for analyzing the results achieved and discussing prospects for international cooperation.
Igor Malashevich, the Deputy Co-Chair of the Working Group from the Belarusian side and the Deputy Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus, delivered a welcoming speech. He noted importance of systemic dialogue and the high level of trust between the regions:
– Cooperation with Karelia involves current contracts as well as long-term investments in the economies of both regions. The key growth areas include forestry, logistics, and tourism, where we already realize tangible results.
Oleg Ermolaev, the Deputy Co-Chair of the Working Group from Karelia and the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic, noted the historical and cultural ties between the regions, steady growth of cooperation, and importance of joint development.
– The Republic of Belarus ranks first among the CIS countries in terms of the Republic of Karelia foreign trade turnover and is one of the three largest partner countries, with the total trade turnover with these countries amounting to 68.7%, – said the Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Yermolaev.
He emphasized the active support for trade and economic cooperation through the Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia and the Export Support Center Foundation, and also noted the results of the business mission of the Karelian companies to Belarus in May 2025.
Particular attention was paid to the prospect of opening direct flights between Petrozavodsk and Minsk, initiated by the Head of the Republic of Karelia, Artur Parfenchikov, in May 2026. This will create new opportunities for tourism and business communications. Currently, the tourist traffic to Karelia exceeds 1.5 million trips per year, and the region is ready to offer its Belarusian partners a wide range of investment projects in the hospitality sector.
The Minister of Economic Development of Karelia, Anton Fokin, presented information on the tourism industry development. Organization of regular cultural and educational events will also be an important area of cooperation. The tourist routes for the Belarusian travelers visiting the Karelian main attractions are currently being developed.
Svetlana Astakhova, the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Karelia, spoke about the prospects for cooperation among industrial enterprises.
– The Republic of Belarus is a traditional trading partner for Karelia. In 2024, the industrial exports accounted for 65.2% of total exports from the Republic of Karelia to Belarus. The Karelian exports primarily consist of paper, lumber, and stone products. Heavy-duty equipment manufacturers continue to be our industrial enterprises primary partners in this friendly country, – Svetlana Astakhova emphasized.
The meeting included a ceremony to exchange the documents signed: the Action Plan for Development of Cooperation between the Republic of Karelia and the Republic of Belarus for 2026–2028; and signing of a cooperation agreement between the FBGU “Karelian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences” and the Republican Forest Breeding and Seed Center (RLSSTS).
