BELARUSIAN ECONOMY & TRADE

In January 2005 Belarus exported services worth $146.5 million, 21.6% up on January 2004. Export of services to the CIS states went up 13.9% to $41.9 million, non-CIS states - amounted to $104.6 million (25% up).

The CIS states account for 28.6% of the Belarusian export of services, including Russia – 20.3%, non-CIS states – 71.4%.

Transport services accounted for the major bulk of exports – 69.9% - totalling $102.4 million (28.9% up on January 2004). The exports of communications services grew 3.2% to reach $6.1 million.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, the import of services made $74.5 million in January 2005, which is 6.6% up, including imports from the CIS countries - $32.7 million (4.1% down), other countries - $41.8 million (16.8% down).

The CIS countries account for 43.9% of the Belarusian import of services, including Russia – 28.3%, countries outside the CIS – 56.1%.

Trip, transport, business, and communications services make the bulk of imported services – over 84.8% of all services imported by Belarus.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Belarus informed, that Belarus’ foreign trade turnover in services totalled $221 million over the period in question, 16.1% up on January 2005.

DELEGATION OF BUSINESS CIRCLES OF BELARUS TO VISIT FRANCE MARCH 21-25

(on the information from BelTA)

The chief consultant of the Foreign Economic Relations Department of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Yuriy Andrievskiy has informed that a delegation of the business circles of Belarus is to visit France on March 21-25 to establish direct contacts and trade links between Belarusian and French companies.

The delegation will be made up of representatives of BCCI, and Mogilevdrev, Belorusneft, Sivelga, Belgruzavtotrans, Tsentrolit, Universal Bobruisk, Belarusian wallpapers companies.

Contact-cooperation exchanges between Belarusian and French companies are scheduled during the visit. The program also foresees a seminar on trade-economic and investment cooperation of the two countries in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Lyons. The delegation's members are also to attend an exhibition Rhone-Alpes region’s producers and French companies.

15/03/2005

BELARUS-GERMAN TRADE TURNOVER EXCEEDS $1,5BLN

(on the information from BelTA)

In 2004 the trade turnover between Belarus and Germany reached $1,584bln, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to the FRG Vladimir Skvortsov has informed.

According to the diplomat, Germany is the second trade-economic partner of Belarus following Russia in the mutual trade turnover. In turn, Belarus is the 4th among the CIS member-states in the trade with Germany. As Vladimir Skvortsov noted, that the Belarusian exports last year preserved the momentum having grown by 19%. In exports from Belarus to Germany there appeared 75 additional positions.

The most demanded goods on the German market are mineral products, articles made of non-precious metals, lumber, textile, optical and medical equipment, integrated circuits, electronic motors, lighting and signal equipment.

Belarus imports from Germany first of all important investment goods for industrial purposes. Belarus and Germany have been developing cooperation on a wide range of areas – trade-economic, scientific-technological, cultural and humanitarian, the diplomat emphasized. Relations between twin towns, which number amounts twenty, have been developing dynamically. “Public contacts extended considerably, people became closer to each other,” noted Vladimir Skvortsov.

23/02/2005

Belarus’ exports to EurAsEC up 33.2% on yr to $6.6 bln in 2004

MINSK, Feb 22 (Prime-Tass) -- Belarus’ 2004 exports to the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) countries rose 33.2% on the year to U.S. $6.6 billion, while imports from EurAsEC increased 46.6% on the year in the period to $11.174 billion, an official with the Statistics Ministry told Prime-Tass Tuesday.

Exports to the EurAsEC accounted for 48% of Belarus’ total exports and 90.46% of Belarus’ exports to the CIS.

Russia’s share in this country’s exports to the EurAsEC was at 97.92% as of January 1.

Belarus’ exports to Russia rose 32.4% on the year in 2004 to $6.463 billion, while imports from Russia amounted to $11.143 billion, up 46.6% on the year in the period. Belarus’ key exports are agricultural products, construction and polymer materials, woodworking products, textiles and clothes, household appliances and machinery. Imports from Russia include energy, grain, seafood, metals and spare parts for mechanical engineering.

Belarus’ exports to Kazakhstan rose 78.7% on the year in 2004 to $121.29 million, while imports increased 81% to $23.524 million. Belarus exports to Kazakhstan medicines, tires, clay tile, household appliances, tractors, trucks, bicycles and furniture and imports grain, ferrous metals and cotton.

Exports to Tajikistan almost tripled to $11.759 million, and imports from that country rose 150% to $4.774 million in 2004. Belarus’ exports to Tajikistan include fluorine salt, medicines, household appliances, municipal machinery, tractors, trucks, bicycles, and furniture. The key imports are dried fruit, cotton, cotton fabrics, aluminum and aluminum products.

Belarus’ exports to Kyrgyzstan fell 14.4% on the year in 2004 to $4.105 million, and imports declined 3.2% to $3.271 million. Belarus exports medicines, textiles, tires, trucks, refrigerators and freezers, plastics and wool and imports vegetables, raw tobacco, cotton and seeds.

The EurAsEC creation treaty was signed by the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan in October 2000. Armenia, Moldavia and Ukraine are observers with the EurAsEC.

21/02/2005

Belarus’ exports to common econ area up 34.6% on yr in 2004

MINSK, Feb 21 (Prime-Tass) -- Belarus’ 2004 exports to the common economic area countries [Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine] rose 34.6% on the year to U.S. $7.124 billion, while imports from the common economic area increased 46.8% on the year in the period to $11.711 billion, an official with the Statistics Ministry told Prime-Tass Monday.

Exports to the common economic area accounted for 51.8% of Belarus’ total exports and 97.6% of Belarus’ exports to the CIS.

Russia’s share in this country’s exports to the common economic area was at 90.7% as of January 1, 2005.

Belarus’ exports to Russia rose 32.4% on the year in 2004 to $6.463 billion, while imports from Russia amounted to $11.143 billion, up 46.6% on the year in the period.

Belarus’ key exports are agricultural products, construction and polymer materials, woodworking products, textiles and clothes, household appliances and machinery. Imports from Russia include energy, grain, seafood, metals and spare parts for mechanical engineering.

Belarus’ exports to Kazakhstan rose 78.2% on the year in 2004 to $121.29 million, while imports increased 81% to $23.524 million.

Belarus exports to Kazakhstan medicines, tires, clay tile, household appliances, tractors, trucks, bicycles and furniture and imports grain, ferrous metals and cotton.

Belarus’ exports to Ukraine increased 57.1% to $539.81 million, while imports rose 50.5% to $544.94 million.

Belarus’ exports include meat, potash and mineral fertilizers, polyethylene, oil products, metals, household appliances, trucks and spare parts, furniture, tractor kits, refrigerators and fridges. Belarus imports corn, grain, medicines, ferro-alloys and pipes from ferrous metals.

The agreement on the creation of the common economic area of the four states was signed in Yalta on September 19, 2003. The agreement aims at formation of the common market without limitations and reserves, unification of the development and use of technical procedures and standards as well as harmonization of macroeconomic policies and laws of the member-states. End

21/02/2005

Belarus’ grain imports up 42.5% on yr in 2004 to 833,900 tonnes

MINSK, Feb 21 (Prime-Tass) -- Belarus’ grain imports rose 42.5% on the year in 2004 to 833,900 tonnes, an official with the Statistics Ministry told Prime-Tass Monday.

In monetary terms grain imports rose 80% to U.S. $167.7 million due to a rise in contract prices.

Grain imports from Ukraine amounted to 230,300 tonnes in 2004, a rise of 270% on the year, worth $34.036 million.

Imports from Russia declined 43.4% on the year to 203,600 tonnes in 2004, worth $45.905 million.

Kazakhstan’s grain exports to Belarus amounted to 41,300 tonnes in the period worth $8.7 million. Last year the figure stood at 11,800 tonnes.

Imports from Lithuania amounted to 243,700 tonnes in 2004, up from about 110,700 tonnes in 2003, worth $46.511; from Latvia 49,100 tonnes, up from 8,470 tonnes, and from Sweden 11,100 tonnes against 5,000 tonnes.

In 2004 Belarus’ total grain harvest amounted to 7.5 million tonnes in bunker weight. Belarus stored 7.016 million tonnes in granaries.

Due to a good grain harvest in 2004, Belarus managed to meet its domestic requirement and export the excess of rye.

Belarus imports milling grain, corn and protein additives.

17/02/2005

Belarus urges Eritrea to expand trade and economic cooperation

MINSK, Feb 17 (Prime-Tass) -- Belarus wants to expand the regulatory framework with Eritrea to develop trade and economic cooperation, the chairman of the international affairs and national security with the upper chamber of the Belarusian parliament, the Council of the Republic, Nikolai Cherginets, said during his meeting with Eritrean Ambassador to Russia and Belarus (non-resident) Teklai Menassie Asgedom Thursday.

“Belarus is an industrial country. We produce trucks, electronics, refrigerators, tractors. Our companies’ products are fit to work in your climatic conditions,” Cherginets said.

The Belarusian senator also suggested establishing cooperation with the Eritrean parliament. “We could exchange visits and sign a cooperation agreement,” he said.

In turn, Teklai Menassie Asgedom said Belarus produces 90% of the goods that Eritrea needs. “Our country is an importer. We need to restore our industry, agriculture and construction after the war. The only problem is finance,” the diplomat said.

Belarus and Eritrea did not trade in 2003. In January-November 2004 Belarus’ exports to Eritrea amounted to U.S. $28,100, while there were no imports.

Eritrea is located in East Africa. Its GDP reached $734 million last year. Military expenses account for 20% of GDP. End

15/02/2004

Belarus’ govt raises roadside service development targets

MINSK, Feb 15 (Prime-Tass) -- The Belarusian government has raised the roadside service development targets for 2005, with figures rising to 143 entities from 103, a government official told Prime-Tass Tuesday.

Belneftekhim state-owned oil and chemistry holding is to build six filling stations with a wide range of services, up from the original target of five stations. Also, the holding is to construct five gas filling stations.

The Trade Ministry is to open 25 fast food places along Belarus’ major motorways in 2005, up from the earlier target of 17 places; the Communication Ministry is to provide 24 public telephone stations along motorways, up from 14; and the Transport Ministry is to reconstruct 30 lay-bys, the original target being at 20.

Also, the Trade Ministry is to refit 44 shops along the key roads of the country, up from 38.

According to Belavtodor, a department with the Transport Ministry, there are 1,093 roadside service areas, including 488 fast food places, 342 filling stations, 105 service stations and 63 parking lots. End

10/02/2005

Belarus’ services’ trade surplus up 30.7% on yr in 2004

MINSK, Feb 10 (Prime-Tass) -- In Belarus the surplus of trade in services in 2004 rose 30.7% on the year to U.S. $743.9 million, according to spokesman with Belarus’ Foreign Ministry Andrei Savinykh.

Belarus’ exports of services rose 15.1% on the year in 2004 to $1.731 billion. Of the total, exports of services to CIS countries amounted to $623.6 million, up 20.5% on the year, including exports to Russia, which amounted to $420.4 million in 2004, up 15.8% on the year. Belarusian exports to non-CIS countries went up 12.2% on the year to $1.107 billion as of January 1, 2005.

Transportation services accounted for 60.5% of the total services exports and stood at $1.047 billion as of January 1, up 21.7% on the year. Tourist services accounted for 17% of the total, at $294.9 million, up 10.5%, and communication services for 4.9%, at $85 million, up 20.9% on the year. Construction services amounted to 3.5% of the total services exports, or $101.3 million, up 1.3% on the year.

Imports of services rose 5.6% on the year in the period to $986.9 million. This includes imports of services from the CIS at $532.5 million as of January 1, up 23.8% on the year. Imports of services from Russia stood at $337.9 million, up 28.5%. Imports from non-CIS countries went down 9.9% on the year to $454.4 million.

Tourist services accounted for 45.2% of the total services imports and stood at $445.7 million as of January 1, down 9.6% on the year. Transportation services’ share amounted to 23.7%, at $234 million, up 22.5% on the year; communication services 7.2% or $71.3 million, up 11.8%; construction services 2%, at $19.7 million, down 29.6%; insurance services 0.2%, at $2.3 million, down 4.2% on the year, and financial services 1.4% or $13.7 million, up 180%.

As Prime-Tass reported earlier, the share of services in Belarusian exports is decreasing, which makes it hard to compensate for the deficit of trade in goods.

In 2004 the surplus of trade in services compensated 28.7% of the deficit of trade in goods; in 2003 the figure stood at 45% and in 1999 at 55%.

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