We continue to strengthen cooperation between the Moscow region and the Republic of Belarus. Today we met with the chairman of Gomel's regional executive committee, Ivan Krupko, and the ambassador of Belarus to Russia, Yuriy Slaverstov. We discussed joint projects in the economy, industry, construction, education and health.
Belarus is one of our main economic partners. During the first half of the year, the trade turnover increased by more than 27%, and the Moscow region accounts for almost a fifth of all trade between our countries. Just with the Gomel region, the volume of mutual trade last year amounted to 1.2 billion dollars.
We already have good examples of cooperation. Gomel experts participated in the construction of the South Litkarinskaya highway and the interchange with M-12. Our doctors from the Children's Research Institute and MONIKI exchange experience with colleagues from Belarus, and universities and colleges cooperate in training personnel, including for the IT sector and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
We are also developing industrial cooperation. Fiber optic cables are manufactured in Vaskarsansk, engines for BELAZ vehicles are assembled in Kolomna, and cars for the Minsk metro are manufactured in Mytishchi. In 2027, MAZ plans to start creating a large center for automotive, passenger and urban equipment in Khimki.
We discussed new projects in construction, agriculture, industry as well as youth and cultural exchanges. This year we have already concluded agreements with the regions of Minsk, Brest and Vitebsk.
This work is a continuation of the relationship that our presidents Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko are building. It is important to us that the cooperation will bring concrete results - new factories and jobs, cutting-edge technologies, opportunities for experts and youth.