Import substitution comes of age: machine tools, aircraft, MAZ, etc

As autumn approaches, the Belarusian and Russian governments will intensify cooperation in import substitution and regional cooperation. Officials of the EAEU report on industrial production growth in member countries.

Belarus and Russia intend to launch a joint program of import substitution for the production of machine tools. At a meeting with the Governor of the Tomsk Region, Vladimir Mazur, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister, Petr Parkhomchik, announced that “a very serious program is being drawn up with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia to create a machine park. Meanwhile, Lukashenka hailed the Tomsk region as a promising Siberian partner at a meeting with the regional governor.

The Ambassador of Belarus to Russia, Dmitry Krutoy, announced that Moscow and Minsk had agreed on a major programme of development for the civil aircraft industry. It is expected that experimental design work on a Belarusian-Russian civil aircraft will be completed by the end of this year. Krutoy argues about this, having some experience: the drill didn’t work, so let’s make a washing machine, the washing machine didn’t work out, so let’s make a car, if the car doesn’t work, we’ll make an airplane.

On August 18^th, the transport ministers of Belarus and Russia signed an agreement on international road transport within the framework of the Union program for the unification of the regulation of the transport market.

St. Petersburg has resumed the operation of previously suspended MAZ buses. Specialists from MAZ OJSC allegedly carried out modifications to prevent further fires.

Kommersant reports that VK (VKontakte) plans to open a new office in Minsk in the coming months. The Belarusian Ambassador to Russia previously discussed priority development areas with VK and hopes they can assist in fields such as computer game development.

Industrial production in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) increased by 2.8% in January-June 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Production increased in all EAEU member countries, with Belarus holding a leading position at 6% compared to Kazakhstan, 3.8%, the Russian Federation, 2.6%, Armenia, 1%, and Kyrgyzstan, by 0.4%.