The International Arctic Forum will be held in St. Petersburg on April 11-13, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to participate in it. This was announced on October 6 by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Yuri Trutnev at a meeting of the Federation Council.
The Forum is a platform for discussing topical issues of socio-economic development of the Arctic territories, developing mechanisms for the effective development of the resource potential of the Arctic region. It has been held since 2010. It is attended by Russian experts and foreign specialists.
On September 18, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Chairman of the Committee of Senior Officials in the Arctic Council Nikolai Korchunov said that sooner or later a dialogue between Russia and the United States will begin on the military-political aspects of the situation in the Arctic.
According to him, currently the states have disagreements on this issue. At the same time, the United States and Russia have a mutual interest in making the Arctic a region of constructive interaction.
On July 15, it was reported that Russia and the United States are jointly implementing a climate project, including in the Arctic. Cooperation includes monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, forests and agriculture.
On June 1, Korchunov explained why Russia is engaged in the restoration of military infrastructure in the Arctic. According to him, this is necessary in order to ensure the country's defense capability in the Arctic, which is of strategic importance for national security and the country's economy.
The program of Russian-Indian cooperation in the trade, economic and investment spheres in the Far East until 2025 and the principles of cooperation in the Arctic are planned to be adopted at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
Minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov held a working meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India Venkatesh Varma.
According to the ministry, in 2020, the volume of foreign trade of the Far Eastern Federal District with India increased by more than 5% and exceeded $ 764 million.
"The regions of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation increased the turnover of foreign trade with Indian partners by 12.6% – up to $ 800 million," the report says.
Venkatesh Varma noted the prospects for expanding cooperation in the field of education. "According to the ambassador, the student flow can be increased to 25 thousand people, provided that educational programs in such areas in demand among young people as IT, international law and other areas appear in the Far East," the press service said.
The x international forum "Arctic: present and future", which participants will discuss the development of the Arctic zone of Russia, opened on Thursday in St. Petersburg at the Expoforum Convention and exhibition center. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the forum events will be held in person with all the necessary anti-epidemic measures, and some speakers will speak remotely.
The forum will be held from December 10 to 12. It is organized by the interregional public organization "Association of polar explorers" with the support and participation of the Federation Council and the state Duma, as well as the State Commission for the development of the Arctic.
The forum will be attended by a delegation of the Russian Navy, the Department of information and mass communications of the Russian defense Ministry told reporters on Thursday. According to the Department, the Navy is actively developing its infrastructure in the Arctic and is involved in solving issues of the Arctic strategy.in recent years, the volume of comprehensive Oceanographic research in the Arctic has doubled.
"In total, 28 business events will be held on the sidelines of the forum in full-time and part-time format. The discussion agenda will reflect the goals and main directions of Russia's state policy in the Arctic for the period up to 2035, strategies for the development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and ensuring national security for the period up to 2035, and key documents that were approved this year, " the forum organizers said.
The forum program includes events where experts will discuss the development of cargo transportation infrastructure along the Northern sea route, fundamental Arctic research, the introduction of digital technologies in the development of the Northern territories, the formation of a support system for entrepreneurs in the Arctic, and other topics.
The forum will host an exhibition with an area of about 2 thousand square meters, where Arctic regions and Russian companies will present their achievements, projects and technologies.
The international forum, Arctic and Antarctic Days in Moscow, will be held from November 25-27 via videoconference. Russia will present the program for its chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2021–2023. The event will include an international scientific congress. The Russian Antarctic research station Vostok will be available for videoconferencing with the participants.
This year’s forum organizers are the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic.
According to the organizers, the business program of the event includes presentations of support measures for entrepreneurial activity in the Arctic and of the Arctic Initiatives Center projects. A special session will be devoted to Arctic tourism development, local infrastructure improvements and environmental protection. Scientists from Russia, UK, US, Iceland and South Korea will take part in the international scientific congress Open Arctic and Antarctic. Leading representatives of the global scientific community will discuss priorities in the study and development of the Arctic, as well as the global significance of science as a public diplomacy tool in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Another important topic to be raised at the forum has to do with a plan to implement the Strategy for Developing the Russian Arctic Zone and Ensuring National Security until 2035. It will be the highlight of the plenary session, which will be attended by the minister of the Russian Far East and Arctic, the minister of Natural Resources, and heads of the regions in the Russian Arctic zone. One of the key speakers at the forum will be Terry Callaghan from Great Britain, a leading expert on environmental change and a Nobel Prize awardee, who is a regular participant of Arctic Days in Moscow. He will also deliver an online lecture on weather anomalies and the Arctic’s impact on the Earth’s climate.
All the events will be streamed online. The organizers will post updates on how to join at the Arctic and Antarctic Days in Moscow website, www.arctic-days.ru.
Arkhangelsk is ready to become the permanent place for holding the international forum "The Arctic — the Territory of Dialogue", the representative of the regional government press service has reported RIA Novosti.
"In March, 2017 Arkhangelsk already for the second time will accept the international forum "The Arctic — the Territory of Dialogue". Further the capital of Pomorze expects to become the permanent place for carrying out similar actions. The initiative to hold a forum in Arkhangelsk has found support at the level of the Government of the Russian Federation" — has told the interlocutor of agency.
The press service of the regional government has reminded that Arkhangelsk already became a venue of the Arctic forum in September, 2011. The forum "The Arctic — the Territory of Dialogue" is held since 2010, in addition to the capital of Pomorze Moscow and Salekhard became its platforms also.
The governor of the region Igor Orlov has noted that the federal law draft "About Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation" which implies creation of basic zones is already published. The question of basic zones will be discussed at a forum. "Coastal region shall become one of anchor points of this development. We calculate that the investment projects connected with production of diamonds, development of mineral resources will become pilot in basic zones where we are ready to create special conditions for their implementation" — mentioned Mr. Orlov according to the regional press service/
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