Switzerland to continue humanitarian cooperation with Mogilev oblast

The issues of humanitarian cooperation between the Mogilev oblast and Switzerland were on the agenda of a meeting between the chairman of the Mogilev oblast executive committee Boris Batura and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation to Poland and Belarus Benedict de Cerjat. The diplomat is in the Mogilev oblast on a two-day official visit.

In the course of the meeting Boris Batura noted the effective interaction of Mogilev public organisations and state agencies of Switzerland in implementing joint projects in various areas of humanitarian activity in the Chernobyl-affected region and thanked for the assistance.

Boris Batura suggested developing cooperation not only in humanitarian area but also in economy. He asked the Ambassador to inform Swiss businessmen about attractive investment projects implemented in the oblast. The favourable investment environment and tax preferences can attract foreign investors. “We have got several interesting investment proposals from a group of Swiss banks, for example, to construct a dairy plant in Shklov and modern dairy farms to provide feedstock to this dairy plant,” he added.

Mr. Benedict de Cerjat praised the results of the projects on mitigating the Chernobyl consequences in the Mogilev oblast in line with the Swiss humanitarian programme. According to the Ambassador, the Swiss side is ready to continue developing cooperation in the humanitarian area.

The diplomat noted that Belarus and Switzerland have recently intensified the relations in tourism; a number of Belarusians wishing to visit Switzerland has dramatically increased. Yet, the two countries have weak relations in business, though there are opportunities to intensify them.

Mr. Benedict de Cerjat invited Boris Batura to visit Switzerland and present the economic potential of the Mogilev oblast to Swiss business circles.

After the meeting in the oblast executive committee, the diplomat presented the Mogilev oblast organization of the Belarusian Society of the Red Cross with a specialized ambulance car.

A two-day trip of the Swiss Ambassador to the oblast includes a visit to the companies Mogilevkhimvolokno and Mogilevliftmash, the medical-social care center of the Mogilev society of the Red Cross, the memorial complex Buinichi Field, the Mogilev zoo and the Slavgorod region.