Migration Agency office to be opened in Vitebsk

A representative office of Uzbekistan’s Migration Agency will be opened in Vitebsk, Belarus. This was discussed during a presentation on the implementation of agreements reached to expand interregional cooperation between the two countries, which President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed on July 15.

It was noted that during the Uzbek leader’s official visit to Belarus on July 8–9 this year, important agreements were reached to increase bilateral trade turnover to $2 billion and implement 310 projects and measures worth a total of $2 billion in the fields of mechanical engineering, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, wood processing, and healthcare.

The President emphasized the importance of quickly transforming these agreements into practical results, creating new enterprises and jobs, and establishing favorable conditions for entrepreneurs.

According to the report, Belarus has industrial facilities, state-owned properties, and large agricultural lands available for investment projects. Agricultural land accounts for 40 percent of the country’s territory, or 8 million hectares.

These opportunities provide a solid foundation for launching joint production projects, developing agricultural cooperation, expanding business ties, and ensuring organized employment opportunities for citizens.

It was noted that it is necessary to create a list of citizens and entrepreneurs interested in working or doing business in Belarus, coordinate their plans with the Belarusian side in advance, and organize their relocation after resolving issues related to workplaces, living conditions, and the necessary facilities and land for projects.

The presentation also included information on the work carried out within the framework of cooperation between Andijan and Vitebsk regions.

A “road map” has been approved between the two regions, and implementation of specific initiatives has begun. In particular, 255 residents of Andijan region have been provided with organized employment opportunities in Vitebsk.

Agreements have also been reached to launch new projects based on 11 livestock complexes. Each facility has the capacity to raise between 200 and 3,000 cattle and has sufficient land for feed production.

Measures are being taken to launch investment and social initiatives based on a large livestock complex and a sanatorium complex with the participation of the “Andijan Invest” company.

Overall, a package of 30 new projects worth more than $100 million has been developed in Vitebsk and other regions of Belarus in the areas of livestock farming, wood processing, logistics, trade, and services.

In particular, plans include establishing a large dairy complex for 3,000 cattle, several medium-sized livestock farms, and a deep wood-processing enterprise producing pellets from wood waste in Vitebsk region.

The President instructed officials to expand the cooperation model developed between Andijan and Vitebsk regions to other regions as well.

Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Namangan, Tashkent, Fergana, and Samarkand regions will be assigned partner regions in Belarus, including Vitebsk, Mogilev, Grodno, Gomel, and Brest regions. Separate “road maps” will be approved for establishing new production facilities, placing business projects, and ensuring employment based on industrial and agricultural facilities.

The task has been set to take 30 leading entrepreneurs from each region to Belarus and launch joint initiatives with local partners.

The parties also discussed the development of modern logistics infrastructure to accelerate mutual trade and reduce transportation costs.

By the end of the year, an intermodal logistics center for export and import cargo is planned to be launched at Orsha station in Vitebsk region in cooperation with Belarusian Railways, offering services at favorable tariff rates.

In addition, plans include launching direct block train services between the two countries in cooperation with Belarusian companies.

Special attention was paid to the organized employment of citizens.

At the first stage, 1,100 Uzbek citizens are planned to be employed through a selection process at 13 enterprises in Vitebsk and other regions.

Starting from September, it is planned to provide permanent employment in Vitebsk region for 500 residents of Andijan every month, with a total of 5,000 people expected to be employed. For this purpose, a representative office of the Migration Agency will be opened in Vitebsk.

Entrepreneurs will be provided with assistance in opening bank accounts in Belarus, transferring funds to authorized capital, and obtaining financial resources for their projects.

Instructions were given to provide financing on favorable terms for establishing a modern dairy complex, a wood-processing plant, and a logistics company in Vitebsk.

The President emphasized that every agreement must result in a specific project, a new enterprise, additional trade turnover, and decent jobs.

Officials were instructed to systematically monitor the results achieved and conduct critical reviews of the implementation of the “road maps”.

It is worth recalling that earlier, due to labor shortages in Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko invited Uzbek families to move to Belarus for work and residence. Later, Lukashenko revealed the procedures for attracting labor migrants to the country and the requirements imposed on them.