As the financial crunch persists in the world economy, generating detrimental economic conditions for Belarus economic performance, pressures have extensively grown in H1 2009 and continue to build up on the dynamics and major indicators of the Belarus socioeconomic development.
This comparative study indicates, though, that Belarus stands up rather well to the crisis effects which even places the country well in the lead in terms of major development indicators.
The National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Belarus indicates that, compared to last year’s same period, H1 2009 recorded:
- 0.3 % GDP growth (overall, Br 60,556 billion);
- 17.6 % increase in capital investments (overall, Br 19,239 billion);
- 14.2 % increase in housing space commissioned from all funding sources;
- unemployment rate at 0.9 % of the economically active population.
The UNIDO’s International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics indicates that the Manufacturing Value Added which was 191 for Belarus in 2007 places Belarus second to Ukraine only (206) among the CIS countries. The Manufacturing Value Added against the Purchasing Power Parity takes Belarus (198) again to No. 2. In terms of its eventual value, the Manufacturing Value Added was USD 678 for Belarus in 2007, putting Belarus in the lead among the CIS countries (e.g. Russia – 502, Ukraine – 228) and leaving behind a number of European countries (Albania – 173, Bulgaria – 365, Romania – 572, FYR Macedonia – 301, Serbia – 209, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 185, Montenegro – 188).
A regular twice-a-year country-specific report “On major trends of Belarus economic development" run by Germany Trade & Invest at www.bfai.de indicates that Belarus GDP real growth was 1.2 % for the first four months of 2009 which is reported to be rather noteworthy amid the economic situations in the neighbouring countries.
A study by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics placed Belarus in 2007 ahead of a number of EU member states like Austria, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, France and the Czech Republic in terms of gross enrolment ratio for the universities.
The “Crop Prospect and Food Situation” bulletin released by the FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System in June 2009 predicts that the Belarus meat production in 2009 will exceed that of 2008 by 3.76 %, milk and milk products - 4.8 %. The predictions for the meat and milk production in 2009 are negative for the EU countries.
The Director General of the International Organization for Migration estimates that the co-operation between Belarus and the IOM is at its highest and has been productive for 15 years now. Belarus attaches a great deal of importance to the implementation of projects to combat human trafficking, develop cross-border co-operation, improve migration legislation.
In its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, the US Department of State puts Belarus on the Tier 2 List that includes countries making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with Trafficking in Persons standards. The group also comprises ten EU member states like Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Estonia. The US closest allies are also part of the group, that is, Israel, Japan and Turkey. The listed CIS countries included Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The US Department of State put Azerbaijan, Venezuela, China, UAE, Russia, Latvia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine on the Tier 2 Watch List comprising those countries that do not fully comply with the relevant standards and are eligible for the inferior Tier 3 list.
The Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, of the UN Human Rights Council estimates that the Belarus Government are committed, at its highest level, to combating human trafficking. Belarus not only considers the challenge as real and grave but also makes specific steps to handle the threat. The Special Rapporteur also appreciates very positively the human trafficking legislation and legal practices applicable in the country.
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