The rise of IT and nuclear power: what heights has Belarus reached after the fifth GNS

In June 2016, delegates of the V All-Belarusian People’s Assembly approved the country’s development program under the slogan “Together – for a strong and prosperous Belarus!” What landmarks the republic chose and what it achieved, read the material of the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency.

Ten years ago, investment, employment, exports, informatization and youth policies were cited as key growth points. In an address to compatriots, the basic formula sounded: “Our main achievement is peace, tranquility and confidence in the future.” Time has shown that behind these words stood the hard work of the whole country, which had to quickly adapt to tough challenges in foreign markets.

Digital breakthrough

Perhaps the most discussed event of those years was the rapid rise of the domestic IT sector. The starting point of the new reality was Decree No. 8 “On the development of the digital economy”. He radically changed the rules of the game for the High Technologies Park, opening the green light to blockchain technologies and international startups, which allowed to increase the export of IT services almost threefold.

Information technology has begun to change the usual way of life. It was then that convenient mobile banks, electronic diaries in schools and online recording in clinics entered our everyday life.

Capital's pulse

The high-tech rhythm of the five-year plan was clearly felt in the capital. The construction of residential complexes, including Minsk-Mir, went hand in hand with the development of social infrastructure. In Stone Hill, Loshitsa, Sukharevo and Brilevichy, modern schools were opened, as well as kindergartens with swimming pools and computer classes. The city has also invested heavily in health care. Simultaneously with the modernization of leading clinics, such as the MNPC of surgery, transplantology and hematology, outpatient clinics and clinics of walking distance were designed in new microdistricts.

In November 2020, the capital launched the third, Zelenoluzhskaya metro line.

Stations “Kovalskaya Sloboda”, “Voczalnaya”, “Frantishka Bogushevich Square” and “Jubilee Square” set a fundamentally new standard of comfort and safety thanks to protective screens on platforms and silent trains from the company “Stadler Minsk”.

A high-quality reboot also affected ground transport: innovative and environmentally friendly electric buses from Belkommunmash came to replace the previous generation of cars. The city has grown younger and renewed. A vivid confirmation of its high international status was the successful holding of the II European Games in 2019, by the beginning of which the fully reconstructed Dynamo Stadium returned to operation.

From the center to the outskirts

While the capital was improving the urban environment, large industrial and energy projects were launched in the regions. The main emphasis was on the creation of high-tech industries. Near Minsk, the construction of the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation, a unique complex for the entire CIS for deep processing of grain and the production of high-performance amino acids, began.

At the same time, the Chinese-Belarusian industrial park “Great Stone” was developing near Smolevichi. By the end of 2020, the number of its residents came close to 70. Serious modernization also affected the traditional sector of mechanical engineering. BELGI Plant entered the mass production of Belarusian passenger cars that have won strong positions in the domestic and foreign markets, and BELAZ Holding presented the first innovative unmanned dump trucks and gas-powered vehicles.

A historic milestone for the whole country was November 2020, when the power unit No. 1 of the Belarusian NPP in Ostrovets issued the first kilowatt-hours to the unified power system.

Our state officially joined the world club of nuclear powers, having gained an energy foundation for decades to come.

Transport infrastructure developed rapidly within the country: key highways, including the M6 highway (Minsk-Grodno), were reconstructed.

One hundred ideas for the future

Great attention was paid to young scientists during these years. The brand of the generation was the republican project “100 Ideas for Belarus”. Thousands of undergraduates, graduate students and young professionals offered their inventions – from medical simulators to smart systems for agriculture. The main thing is that the competition did not remain just on paper: the authors of the best projects received grants from the Belarusian Innovation Fund to launch the development into production.

The student squad movement also gained a second wind: tens of thousands of young men and women were able not only to make good money on the main construction sites of the country, but also to pass an excellent school of life and learn to work in a team.

As a result

Despite unprecedented external pressure, Belarus has been able to fully meet its social obligations. Over the five-year period, real disposable incomes of the population increased by more than 10%. The family capital program helped thousands of large families solve the housing problem, and state benefits and pensions were paid on time.

The natural result of this large-scale work was high recognition in the international arena.

In the UN global ranking of the Sustainable Development Goals, Belarus took the authoritative 18th position among 166 countries.

Our country has clearly proved that the strategic course chosen at the WPC to preserve peace, stability and internal confidence turned out to be the only correct guideline.

Photo from the archives of Minsk-Novosti and BelTA