By Galina Grigorieva
The framework programme is the organisational basis for expansion of UNIDO’s programme activities in Belarus and stipulates specific avenues of joint efforts for 2013-2017, taking into account priorities of Belarus’ socio-economic development.
The co-operation areas include environment and power engineering, including resource-effective and clean manufacturing, water resources management, renewable energy sources and energy efficiency; technology training, innovations and development; encouragement of investments and transfer of technologies; development and collaboration of small and medium-sized enterprises; the enhancement of quality of infrastructure; and the enhancement of agricultural food industry, and the auto-industrial industry.
The concretisation of UNIDO’s international technical aid projects within the framework of the outlined priorities is an important practical part of the programme. In particular, Belarus will take part in the implementation of Greening Economies in the Eastern Neighbourhood project (EaP-GREEN), whose budget stands at 12.5m Euros with UNIDO’s financial contribution amounting to 500,000 Euros.
UNIDO is also expected to assist in creating of a national system for technology foresight in Belarus with the total budget of $653,000, with the Belarusian side intending to contribute slightly over $200,000.
Moreover, the National Technology Transfer Centre and the Belarusian Institute for Systemic Analysis and Information Support for Scientific and Technical Sphere will be used to create a Centre for International Industrial Co-operation of UNIDO in Belarus. The facility will focus on supporting efforts of the government to enhance the competitiveness of industrial enterprises by providing them with technical aid. Compiling a further list of technical co-operation projects and determining potential sources for their funding (considering UNIDO donors and partner organisations) will be a task for the nearest future.
