MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) Russia's trade delegations across the globe were able to carry out their operations amid the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, having examined over 1,500 applications via an online platform created to digitize their services, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Aleksei Gruzdev said on Friday.
To halt the spread of the virus, many countries imposed lockdown measures, severely curtailing their everyday activities. Russia introduced its own measures on March 30, which lasted until May 12.
"We worked on creating interactive online opportunities for communication with Russia's trade delegations. During the pandemic, we launched online services. There were 1,500 applications within two months," Gruzdev said at an online press conference.
According to him, the ministry sees great potential in modernizing the institute of trade delegations to meet today's demand.
"As part of the promotion of activity, we also scooped up another program, which so far has only a slang name. Between us, we call it 'from mansions to offices.' We try, wherever it is possible, to move our trade missions to modern business centers so that the businesses have the opportunity to come and meet with our representatives in a modern business atmosphere,'' he added.
Gruzdev also underlined that Russia should capitalize on the existing capabilities of trade missions, noting that there were 54 trade delegations of Russia around the globe.
