Dubai is currently hosting the World Expo 2020, which brings together delegations and visitors from more than 192 countries. In the conference area of Russia’s National Pavilion, the Russian Far East and Arctic Development Corporation is implementing a business programme on 14–18 November as part of offsite sessions of the Eastern Economic Forum with the support of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Roscongress Foundation.
The ground floor of Russia’s National Pavilion treats guests to a multimedia exposition that represents the potential of 18 regions in the Far East and the Arctic. The central booth has already been visited by around 250,000 guests from all over the world, including more than 50 high-level delegations.
Six industry sessions were attended by roughly 280 representatives of governments, corporations, foundations, and companies from more than 30 countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, China, South Korea, India, Egypt, Turkey, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Africa, Vietnam, Tunisia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, as well as leading international companies, in particular, Jebel Ali Free Zones, Dubai Silicon Oasis, the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund, Mubadala Investment Fund, the Chinese National Nuclear Corporation, Dubai Technological Entrepreneurship Centre, DITC, the Finnish shipping company Finnlines, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Probity Strategy Consulting (Bangladesh), CANARAX (UAE), and Petrocoke (Iran).
The meetings kicked off with a discussion of global trends in high-tech business and initiatives of the Far East and Arctic in this area, including a project in the Primorsky Territory to develop an innovative scientific and technological centre on Russky Island and the creation of the Voskhod Venture Fund. The guest of honour at the session was acting Director General of the UAE Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority Mohammed Al Kitbi.
Sessions were held on the prospects of the Northern Sea Route and the development of the transport infrastructure of Russia’s Far East and Arctic, the flight accessibility of macro-regions for investors, the export potential of the aviation industry, the development of the tourism industry, and key investment projects that are successfully being implemented in the Far Eastern and Arctic regions. The four-day marathon of events concluded with the session ‘Abundance of the Mineral Resource Base of the Far East and Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation’.
“Russia has created favourable conditions in the Far East and Arctic to implement projects with foreign investors in various industries. We are actively building up our international presence, and we are open and ready to work with the whole world. The Far East and Arctic, which make up more than 55% of the largest country in the world, deserve attention and the active involvement of the international business community,” said First Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic Gadzhimagomed Khuseynov, who heads the Russian delegation.
Russian Far East and Arctic Development Corporation Deputy General Director for Investments Roman Chichkanov added that 2,800 investment projects are already being implemented in the Far Eastern Federal District and the Russian Arctic with active government support: “We allocate three key support measures that are provided by our development institution and the Ministry. Unique preferential regimes (advanced special economic zones, the Free Port of Vladivostok, and the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation with a range of administrative, customs, and tax incentives). Concessional financing is provided at 2% per annum. And infrastructural support [is provided], including with the use of new mechanisms for the Far Eastern and Arctic concessions.”
The series of industry sessions is set to continue on 18 November. The agenda includes the petrochemical industry and opportunities for working with hydrogen energy. The business programme will conclude with a session organized by the Business Russia All-Russia Public Organization together with the Small Energy Association on the theme: ‘Development of Energy Infrastructure in Remote Areas’. A broadcast of the events is available here erdc.ru/dubai2021.
