OREANDA-NEWS. A delegation of Karelia led by Head of the republic Alexander Khudilainen is making a visit to Vasterbotten County of Sweden.

The protocol signing ceremony

Signing of the Protocol on Cooperation between the Republic of Karelia and Vasterbotten County in 2014 - 2020, as well as the meeting of Alexander Khudilainen with Magdalena Andersson, Governor of Vasterbotten County have become the focal points of the visit.

Cooperation between Karelia and Vasterbotten County has a longtime history, as the agreement of cooperation between the parties was signed in November of 1994. Since then the parties have implemented lots of projects in the sphere of culture, health, sports, environment conservation, forestry, ICT, industrial partnership, management, etc.

For example, the Eco-Efficient Communities project activities are in progress which includes assessment of the sphere of municipal housing and utilities infrastructure in Karelia. On results of the project implementation recommendations concerning modernization in this sphere and more efficient use of electricity and heat will be developed. The initiative of creation and development of eco-efficient communities was supported by Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO).

However, cooperation between Karelia and Vasterbotten County is not limited to bilateral relations, as the regions support cooperation within the scope of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC).

The Protocol on Cooperation in 2014 - 2020 was signed by Head of Karelia Alexander Khudilainen on behalf of the Government of the republic, and by Governor Magdalena Andersson on behalf of the Vasterbotten County Council, as well as by Anders Agren on behalf of Region Vasterbotten organization.

As Alexander Khudilainen observed at the protocol signing ceremony, cooperation between our parties has been developing over a number of years which confirms mutual interest. Besides, friendship with Vasterbotten County is supported actively in the line of sister-city relations. For instance, Petrozavodsk and Umea are twin cities since 1976.

- While the new Protocol is in force, we'll be developing economic partnership, we'll cooperate in the sphere of social initiatives, and projects of environment conservation and energy efficiency, - Head of Karelia said.

He has also added that the republic has got cooperation proposals to Swedish partners in the sphere of tourism and information technologies.

The meeting participants

Economic cooperation is pointed out as one of the most important sphere of cooperation between Karelia and Vasterbotten County. The parties will support cooperation in the sphere of investments, innovations, small and medium entrepreneurship, will promote development of business cooperation in the sphere of management of natural resources, housing and communal services and power economy, transport and logistics, forestry and construction.

Work on implementation of the Swedish-Karelian Informational Business Center project which activity is focused on support of small and medium business enterprises for dissemination of mutually useful information on prospects of economic cooperation and promotion of contacts between Karelian and Swedish entrepreneurs will continue.

In social sphere cooperation will be conducted in such areas as healthcare ans social well-being, science and education, support of initiatives in the sphere of culture and sports, youth cooperation, promotion of contacts between people, environment conservation, support of indigenous people.

During the visit the delegation of Karelia has conduct negotiations in the Vasterbotten County Council, has visited Norrland's University Hospital where issues of energy efficiency of this social institution were presented.

The visit continued with the meeting of Head of Karelia Alexander Khudilainen with Magdalena Andersson, Governor of Vasterbotten County, in which representatives of Swedish business circles, Swedish Energy Agency and NEFCO Corporation have taken part. Matters at the meeting concerned topical issues of cooperation and prospects of its development. Special attention was paid to cooperation in the sphere of power economy and housing and communal services. Besides, there have been presented joint projects already launched or planned to be implemented in the republic.

The work on creation of the transit travel corridor in Karelia able to connect Northwest Russia with Nordic countries was considered during the talks.

The return visit of the Swedish party to Karelia for acquaintance to the republic and precise discussion of cooperation in various spheres is scheduled for spring.