Sverdlovsk Region’s Minister for International and Foreign Economic Relations Alexander Kharlov reports that the region’s foreign trade turnover reached over $5bn in three quarters of 2011, which comes to 60% of all the foreign trade transactions in the region over the given period. The figures are expected to go up by the end of the year.

Sverdlovsk Region keeps getting more and more foreign representations in the area. This year, the honorary consul of the Republic of Slovakia and the plenipotentiary representative of Kazakhstan’s Trade Representation in the Russian Federation were appointed in Yekaterinburg. What is more, a representation of Ubifrance was set up here as well.

The openings of many more countries’ representations are currently being coordinated, including Turkey’s trade representation and the positions of honorary consuls of Switzerland, Mexico, Nicaragua, and other countries. All this is a sign that the region opens up to the world, attracts foreign partners, and is ready to cooperate productively with them.