Belarus, Kazakhstan advised to plan trade relations for five years

"Today we need to make trade forecasts for 2016-2020 rather than for the next year. We need to plan for at least 5 years. Any crisis is followed by revival. We have been through many crises and watched the economic growth again," said Alexander Nakhaenko. According to him, today's goals for the business and the state are to preserve labor collectives and not to halt modernization in order to be prepared to work in new conditions after the crisis. "Of course, the crisis requires more serious approaches from producers and distribution networks. But after a crisis always comes a growth period. I would like us to enter this growth period strong and self-confident, with good competitive products," Alexander Nakhaenko noted.

He stressed the joint work on markets, simpler clearance procedures, absence of customs borders save time. In the European Union both goods and people travel freely in the Schengen zone. The same is in the Eurasian Economic Union. "This is a huge area where you can move your products without any restrictions. This is quite handy for business in the first place," he said.

Speaking about the ongoing business forum in Minsk, Alexander Nakhaenko said that the Chambers of Commerce aim to facilitate networking, provide support in finding partners. "We see Kazakhstan as the gateway to the East and Belarus is the gateway to the West for Kazakhstani business," he explained.

A delegation from Kazakhstan is in Belarus on a visit on 2-4 September for a business matchmaking session and also the Belarus-Kazakhstan business forum. The event has been organized by the National Export and Investment Agency KAZNEX INVEST and the Minsk Office of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Belarusian enterprises and 15 Kazakh companies will negotiate in the following areas: engineering, pharmaceuticals, food and chemical industry, construction.