Russia’s Arctic zone is not only the largest resource base in the country, but also spreads out over nine regions and is the largest special economic zone in the world. Today, both the already proven and popular Far Eastern preferential regimes (advanced special economic zones and the Free Port of Vladivostok) and the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF), which were purposely developed to access the remote, lightly populated, and harsh territory of the Far North, are successfully operating in the Russian Arctic. Despite the turbulence of the global economy and the heightened sanctions pressure this year, several major and strategically important investment projects that aim to extract and process various natural resources (mineral, energy, water, biological, etc.) continue to be implemented today in Russia’s Arctic zone. What do the prospects look like for cooperation between Russia and Asian countries in the Arctic? What opportunities does the development of the Northern Sea Route create as new logistics chains are built? What projects in the Russian Arctic might be the most interesting for long-term investment?

Moderator:
Elena Lazko — Partner, Head of Strategy and Operations, Kept

Panellists:
Roman Berdnikov — First Deputy General Director, Member of the Management Board, RusHydro
Andrey Grachev — Vice President for Federal and Regional Programs, Norilsk Nickel
Ekaterina Lyakhova — Director for Business Development, The State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Oleg Melnikov — Executive Vice President – Head of the Department of Banking Support for Contracts, Gazprombank
Igor Semenov — Executive Director, First Ore Mining Company
Georgy Smirnov — General Director, Nordgold Management

Front row participants:
Mikhail Denisov — Advisor to the Director General on Interaction with Public Authorities, Stenmix Holding Limited
Nikita Dobroslavskiy — Head of the Laboratory for Low Carbon and Circular Economy, Center for Sustainable Development, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO
Ildar Neverov — Acting General Director, State Trust Arktikugol
Aleksey Struchkov — General Director, Yakutskenergo

The Far Eastern Federal District occupies 41% of the total area of Russia and unites regions with unique nature and some of the largest reserves of resources. The Far East Development Programme is a priority on a national scale. Developing the spatial, resource, urban planning, and tourism potential of the Far East requires managerial decisions based on complete and accurate spatial data. A single digital platform called the National Spatial Data System (NSDS) is being created to implement the socioeconomic development initiatives that have been set for the period until 2030. A pilot project to create the single digital platform is being successfully implemented in 20 regions of Russia, including the regions of the Far East, namely the Republic of Buryatia, Primorsky Territory, Khabarovsk Territory, and the Amur and Sakhalin Regions. Creating this resource boosts the efficiency of land use, allows for a more comprehensive approach to issues such as territorial planning, spatial development, and the design and construction of real estate, and also contributes to Russia’s import substitution strategy. How can users be provided with access to open and up-to-date spatial data, while also increasing the capitalization of the country? What digital services do people and businesses need for land and real estate? How can we attract investors to regions that are far from the centre of the country and hard-to-reach territories? What opportunities will the NSDS create for residents of and investors in the Far East?

Moderator:
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory

Panellists:
Vyacheslav Alenkov — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region
Dmitry Makhonin — Governor of Perm Territory
Tatyana Polovaikina — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Amur Region
Oleg Skufinskiy — Head, The Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography (Rosreestr)
Suren Tovmasyan — Head, Cadastre Committee of the Republic of Armenia

Front row participants:
Anatoly Azizov — Managing Director, DOM.RF
Dmitry Vakhrukov — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Nguyen Dai Dong — Head, Bureau of Science and International Cooperation, Directorate of Geodesy, Cartography and Geographic Information of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (online)
Vladislav Zhdanov — Director, Federal Cadastral Chamber of Rosreestr
Victor Kalashnikov — Deputy Chairman of the Government – Minister of Economic Development of Khabarovsk Territory
Nadezda Kamynina — Rector, Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography
Sergey Karutin — General Director, Roscartography
Sergey Komyshan — Member of the Board, Executive Director, SIBUR
Vladimir Koshelev — First Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for Construction, Housing and Communal Services
Vitaly Lunev — Minister of Property and Land Relations of Primorsky Krai
Mirsaid Mirmaksudov — Deputy Director, Cadastral Agency under the State Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan

In the rapidly changing geopolitical environment, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will see its role grow as one of the main stabilizing forces in Eurasia in both security and economic development. In September 2022, the next Summit of the Heads of State Council of SCO Member States will take place in Samarkand. The council plans to consider the current state and prospects for the further development of multilateral cooperation and identify priorities and practical measures to expand the activities of the SCO at the present stage. Particular attention will be paid to enhancing the organization’s role in world affairs in light of the emerging geopolitical realities. How should the SCO play its role in the new emerging multipolar and multilateral world? What contribution can Arab and South Asian countries make to the organization’s work? What issues should be included in the SCO’s agenda in order to counteract the unconstructive policy of countries that are unfriendly to Russia and seek to undermine the organization’s influence?

Moderator:
Kirill Babaev — Acting Director, Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Panellists:
Rashid Alimov — Professor, Taihe Institute; Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (2016–2018) (online)
Kirill Barsky — Acting Head of the Department of Diplomacy, Moscow State Institute of International Relations
Vladimir Ivin — Deputy Head, Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation
Denis Kravchenko — Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Economic Policy
Grigory Logvinov — Deputy Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (online)
Kumar Rajan — Associate Professor, Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (online)
Sergey Storchak — Senior Banker, VEB.RF
Sun Zhuangzhi — Director, Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (online)

In their pursuit of sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, the APEC economies have designated higher education, science and joint research as the key driving forces for growth markets and socioeconomic progress in the region. Developing education has therefore become a top priority for APEC in terms of acquiring the necessary competencies for developing human resources, promoting innovation and technology, and expanding cooperation with stakeholders outside APEC. The Conference, which is held at the Far Eastern Federal University on a regular basis, has become an influential platform for the discussion of trends and issues in the development of the region’s academic and scientific communities, and has produced a conceptual framework for developing strategies. Participants of the 11th APEC Conference on Cooperation in Higher Education are invited to discuss the future of cooperation in higher education in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Key topics:
● The impact of immediate factors and wider trends in the global situation on the higher education landscape;
● Assessment of existing higher education models in the Asia-Pacific region;
● Development paths for educational systems in the post-COVID world;
● Best educational practices of APEC countries.

Effective development of the navigation along the Northern Sea Route (hereinafter – the NSR) at the current stage requires constant interaction between consignors, shipping companies and the state. The NSR Navigation Stakeholder Council has been established to combine the efforts aimed at ensuring safety, commercial attractiveness and stable navigation of the NSR. The conditions of external sanctions pressure create the need for redirecting cargo flows to the East, which makes the development of the Eastern part of the NSR even more important. The NSR Navigation Stakeholder Council is focused on the development of optimal mechanisms for Arctic navigation management, the development of international cooperation in the field of the NSR’s use including international transit navigation, as well as the issues related to the icebreaker support of investment projects in the Arctic and the improvement of ice forecast quality. How can the Arctic navigation efficiency be improved? What must be done to improve safety and commercial attractiveness of the Northern route? What role does the NSR Development Plan until 2035 play in successful implementation of investment projects in the Arctic?

Moderator:
Sergey Frank — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sovcomflot

Panellists:
Evgeniy Ambrosov — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, NOVATEK
Yury Borisov — Director General, State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS
Dmitry Zaitsev — Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Alexey Likhachev — Director General, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Vladimir Panov — Special Representative for the Development of the Arctic, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Nikolay Shabalin — Executive Director, Marine Research Center at Moscow State University (MRC LMSU)

Tectonic changes in the architecture of international relations create a new reality. In the emerging diverse world, the hegemony of a limited group of Western countries is impossible neither economically, nor geopolitically, nor culturally, and most states independently determine the priorities of their foreign and foreign economic policy. Russia’s potential, its political and economic capabilities are one of the most important pillars of a more fair international order. Such order is emerging before our eyes. It is based on large regional centers of development and cooperation connected with each other, which together constitute the world system, but each of them is independent and largely self-sufficient. International cooperation without universal equalization is the principle of the future arrangement. The junction points of the centers will play the most important role, and this is precisely the function of the Russian Far East. To do this, the region needs to develop a large-scale infrastructure of international trade, to strengthen its transport and logistics connectivity with other parts of the country, to increase the availability of human resources and increase production capabilities in cooperation with Asian partners. Most Asian countries are pursuing a friendly or benevolently neutral policy towards Russia. The prospect of expanding cooperation is practically unlimited, there is a complementarity of economies, and unlike in Europe, this is not accompanied by geopolitical rivalry. Building on the existing base, the Far East should in the next decade become not only “Russia’s gateway to Asia”, but a universal hub for the interaction of the most important international partners, an interface for Russia’s involvement in the multipolar world.

Moderator:
Andrei Bystritskiy — Сhairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club

Panellists:
Wang Wen — Executive Dean, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China (RDCY)
Anastasia Likhacheva — Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Natalia Stapran — Director of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects Department, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Yury Trutnev — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District
B.K. Sharma — Director, United Service Institution of India (USI)

The Eastern Economic Forum has become a key platform for discussing pressing issues involving cooperation between Russia’s Far Eastern regions and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in an effort to improve the welfare of the population in the member countries. Along with developing cooperation in traditional areas, the parties pay special attention to such promising areas as joint environmental and climate programmes based on ESG principles, improving energy efficiency based on sustainable development goals, creating an economic system based on the principles of a circular economy, and developing funding mechanisms that are appropriate for each situation. In October 2021, at the Russia–ASEAN summit that marked the 30th anniversary of their relations, 2022 was declared the Year of Russia–ASEAN Scientific and Technical Cooperation based on the Russian side’s initiative. Today, it is crucial to come up with coordinated steps to move towards the goals that have been set and to identify new growth points and balanced solutions for successful collaboration between the business circles of Russia and ASEAN. What tools can be used to create new long-term sustainable forms of cooperation? What prospects are there for further developing scientific, technical, innovative, and industrial cooperation? How can we build an effective mechanism to jointly exchange practices and expertise, taking into account the sustainable development goals?

Moderator:
Ivan Polyakov — Chairman, Russia–ASEAN Business Council

Panellists:
Nikolay Volobuev — Deputy General Director, Russian Technologies State Corporation
Kan Zaw — Union Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Sergey Katyrin — President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Sergey Korolev — Deputy General Director for Regional Development, Russian Environmental Operator Public Law Company
Alexey Kulapin — General Director, Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Ministry of Energy of Russia
Didit Ratam — Head of the Bilateral Committee for Russia, Georgia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) (online)
Alexander Shokhin — President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs

Front row participants:
Vladimir Averbakh — Senior Managing Director – Head of the Department of National Development AI, Sberbank
Gohar Barseghyan — Director of the Integration Development Department, Eurasian Economic Commission

Many people are aware of the myth about three whales propping up the earth on their backs, which seems so naive now. It is so familiar that it has long become an idiom, a symbol of unshakable and indestructible support. But what is actually propping up the universe? From everyday experience, people know that no real object can simply rest on nothing, which means that there must be some kind of support propping up the universe. But this immediately provokes another question: what, in turn, is propping up this support? After all, it cannot just hang there in the void! Another prop had to be invented, followed by another one and another one. The result was a whole series of pillars of the universe. Let’s start with science. What are its goals and purpose? The goals are easy. It’s knowledge, the systematization of the world, and the creation of new technological tools that support our livelihoods. Next is nature. Does it recognize science or does it not recognize it in the absolute degree? Nature does not even know the number ‘two’. In nature, there are no two identical objects, and phenomena develop like a tree that is branching out, where each branch and each leaf is formed individually, without using the principles of mathematical cloning. Many different natural processes, either ones that merge into a single channel or spread again, form a unique pattern that randomly creates unique objects here and there. Then there are humans. They themselves are the infinite universe. Infinitely large and infinitely small. Can these three whales swim alone? What do we need to do so that we don’t lose ourselves, nature, or science? What other pillars of the universe have we yet to find?

Moderator:
Maxim Safonov — Professor, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)

Panellists:
Vladimir Klimanov — Director, Institute for Public Finance Reform (IPFR); Head of the Regional Policy Center, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
Alexey Maslov — Director, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Ruslan Novikov — General Director, Argumenty I Facty
Maxim Protasov — Head, Russian Quality System (Roskachestvo) (online)
Vyacheslav Fetisov — Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Goodwill Ambassador, The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Chairman, All-Russian Society of Nature Conservation

Front row participants:
Aleksandr Lila — Director, V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology
Oleg Remyga — Head of the "China" direction, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Currently, there are no competitive relations or market pricing mechanisms on the territory of the United Energy System of the East. The fully regulated pricing system combined with the isolation of the electric power industry in the Far East are the main restraining factors. At the same time, there is a growing need for the formation of industrial clusters in the east of the country, strengthening of transport potential, and the full electrification of the eastern part of the Russian railroads. All this requires additional investments in the electric power industry, development of generating capacities and grid infrastructure, as well as strengthening of interconnections between various grids. Thus, the issue of introducing market mechanisms in the electric power industry of the Far East is more acute than ever. When will market mechanisms be introduced? Will the creation of a new pricing zone of the wholesale market change the dynamics? What is needed for this in terms of technology and changes in regulatory rules? What results can be expected from such transformations and how will this affect electricity prices? What should be done to modernize the decentralized power supply zones in the Far East?

Moderator:
Elena Likhomanova — Anchor, Izvestia and REN TV channel

Panellists:
Maksim Bystrov — Chairman of the Board, NP Market Council
Vitaly Korolev — Deputy Head, Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation
Fedor Opadchiy — Chairman of the Board, System Operator of the United Power System
Andrey Ryumin — General Director, Chairman of the Management Board, Rosseti
Stephan Solzhenitsyn — Chief Executive Officer, SGK; Member of the Board of Directors, SUEK
Viktor Khmarin — Chairman of the Management Board, General Director, RusHydro
Nikolay Shulginov — Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

With access cut off to international licenses, technologies, and equipment, Russia now faces the challenge of creating high-tech solutions within the country. Experts estimate that almost 30% of the advanced technologies used in Russia are still acquired from abroad. Russia must now develop the solutions it needs to meet demand and introduce them in this new economic environment. What key technologies need to be created on the domestic market, and when would it make the most sense to integrate them into the available external technological chains? What role do government procurements play in the development of the high-tech market, and what new tools for small tech companies will accelerate the introduction of promising solutions on the market?

Moderator:
Ruslan Sarkisov — General Director, Voskhod Management Company

Panellists:
Maxim Basov — General Director, SUEK
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Mikhail Gordin — Acting Rector, Bauman Moscow State Technical University
Ilya Ivantsov — President, Element
Kirill Kaem — Senior Vice-President for Innovations, Skolkovo Foundation
Igor Milashevsky — Chief Executive Officer, GLONASS
Igor Semenov — Executive Director, First Ore Mining Company
Aleksey Uchenov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Teimuraz Khikhinashvili — Chairman, Israeli–Russian Business Council; Investor, ALMAZ R&P Corp

Front row participants:
Alexey Varyatchenko — General Director, BAS; Director of Digital Asset Management, GTLK (online)
Anatoly Semenov — Minister of Innovations, Digital Development and Communication Technologies of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Oksana Smirnova-Krell — Vice President for Ecosystem Technological Development, Sberbank

Northern delivery covers settlements within 25 Russian federal subjects, representing a population of more than 3 million people. Every year, around 3.1 million tonnes of freight containing essential goods are delivered to the regions of the Far North and logistically equivalent territories. Fuel and energy resources account for 75% of the freight. Direct budget expenditure on northern delivery amounts to RUB 14.2 billion per year. Ensuring uninterrupted supplies to the territories under the northern delivery programme is an important factor in the country’s stable development. This is an area requiring special attention and oversight on the part of the President of the Russian Federation. In pursuance of an order of the President of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation is developing a draft federal law on northern delivery, which will ensure reliable and timely supplies to the regions of the Far North and logistically equivalent territories and, most important, reduce the cost of goods for northerners. What are the priority areas for increasing the efficiency of northern delivery, taking into account the legal, transport, logistics and financial aspects, digital tools, and the potential of the Northern Sea Route? What best practices in the regions of the Far North can be used to optimize northern delivery?

Moderator:
Mikhail Kuznetsov — Director, Eastern State Planning Center (FANU Vostokgosplan)

Panellists:
Gadzhimagomed Guseynov — First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Ilya Davidenko — First Deputy Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Region
Aisen Nikolaev — Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Nikolay Kharitonov — Chairman of the Committee on the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Andrey Shevchenko — Chairman, Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Self-Government and Northern Affairs, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Andrei Dregval — Head, Administration of Seaports of the Primorsky Territory and the Eastern Arctic (online)
Alexander Kalinin — First Deputy Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District

Based on instructions from the Russian president, 1,300 new modern schools are set to open in Russia by 2024, which could radically change the state of educational infrastructure in the country and eliminate second shifts. The plan is to attract RUB 800 billion in private funds from Russian credit institutions for the RUB 400 billion that the government is investing in the programme. However, when implementing projects to build modern schools in the Far Eastern Federal District, some difficulties have arisen: most of the regions are subsidized, which has led to problems in co-funding the construction of educational institutions. The current standards and price estimates do not take into account the conditions and peculiarities of the Far East, which affects the quality of projects and the level of architectural solutions for schools, and diminishes the educational potential of the new facilities. A unified catalogue is needed, i.e., a register of solutions for educational institutions that is adapted for the Far Eastern Federal District and will optimize costs and design time. An increase in housing construction will exacerbate the need for modern social infrastructure and the search for a systematic solution by the government, investors, developers, and the parties involved to structure concession agreements in an effort to create new schools in the Far East.

Moderator:
Alisa Denisova — Executive Director of the Business Block, VEB.RF; General Director, Proshkola

Panellists:
Alexander Aksakov — Director of Infrastructure Bonds Division, DOM.RF
Anna Baginskaya — Managing Director, Head of the PPP Center, Sberbank
Vladimir Kalina — Managing Director of the Directorate of Regional Development, PIK-specialized homebuilder
Aleksandra Lebedeva — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Kamchatka Territory
Stanislav Neverov — General Director, East Arctic Oil and Gas Corporation
Sergey Nosov — Governor of Magadan Region
Natalya Tretyak — First Vice President, Gazprombank
Marat Shamyunov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Konstantin Shestakov — Head of the City of Vladivostok

Over the past six months, the Russian IT industry has undergone some radical changes. Many companies had to alter their business models entirely to adjust to the new conditions. However, after the departure of multiple Western businesses Russian companies have a wide array of opportunities, both in terms of internal promotion of local IT solutions, and in terms of fulfilling the export potential. Government, as well as private business will need to invest significantly in the country’s new IT infrastructure. Their efforts will facilitate the emergence of dozens and hundreds new products and technologies. Have all companies been able to adapt to these changes? What new opportunities for domestic promotion have arisen under the new realities? Are Russian companies, which traditionally supply their solutions to the Russian market, ready to expand their business abroad? What opportunities are there to promote Russian IT products in the APR countries? How can the government help IT companies in the current environment? How can export of IT solutions be supported? What Russian developments will be in demand for an orderly build-up of cooperation with partners from these countries?

Moderator:
Evelina Zakamskaya — Editor-in-Chief, Doctor Channel; Anchor, Russia 24

Panellists:
Stanislav Kuznetsov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Valentin Makarov — President, RUSSOFT Association
Aleksandr Pavlov — General Director, Russian Information Technology Development Foundation
Maxim Parshin — Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation
Andrey Samokhin — Chief Executive Officer, VEB.RF Group

Front row participants:
Dina Gayzatullina — Deputy General Director for Government Relations, Innotech Group of Companies
Alexander Malakhov — Head of Digital Development, Center for Strategic Research Foundation (online)
Andrey Sikorsky — Director of Marketing and Communications, RBC
Konstantin Khromushkin — Deputy General Director for Innovative Development and Digital Transformation, 1520 Group of Companies
Maksim Chugunov — General Director, Promobot

The Russian automotive industry has once again found itself at a turning point in its development, as it needs to look for a new sustainable business model, new partners, and new channels of communication with global markets. When developing the updated Development Strategy for the Russian Automotive Industry until 2035, industry representatives, market participants, and the Russian government had to start from scratch to find answers to key questions: Which path will the industry take as it searches for its technological sovereignty? Can Russia support its automotive market by solely relying on its own resources and expertise, while independently supporting global trends in the world automotive industry? And will Russian car brands be able to return to export markets?

Moderator:
Andrey Tomyshev — Partner, Advanced Manufacturing & Mobility Leader in Strategy and Transactions, B1 Group of Сompanies

Panellists:
Nikolay Sobolev — Chief Executive Officer, Sollers Auto
Maxim Sokolov — President, AVTOVAZ
Alexander Turkov — Managing Director, InfraVEB

Front row participants:
Denis Smirnov — General Director, MTS AUTO
Eduard Cherkin — Partner, Yakov & Partners

The Far East is a unique place where the European way of life is intertwined with the Asian spirit. It is home to some truly amazing people, and is also the birthplace of numerous creative projects and businesses. Today, the creative economy is regarded as one of the key components for the sustainable development of the Far East. Centres of economic growth are taking shape in the regions. In addition, people are displaying a growing demand for a new quality of life and a modern format of everyday life with an emphasis on culture, creativity, and a creative pulse. The creative industries in Russia include up to 35 areas of activities, in particular: the development of computer games and software, cinema and animation, fashion, publishing, architecture, the music industry, advertising and marketing, design, television and radio broadcasting, archives and museums, and libraries, among others. Worldwide the creative industries have capitalization of roughly USD 2.3 trillion and make up an average of 8–12% of GDP in developed nations. According to estimates, creative industries contribute approximately 4.98% to GDP in Russia, or more than RUB 5 trillion. The Agency for Strategic Initiatives says creative industries make up a roughly 2% share of the Far Eastern Federal District’s economy, but have great growth potential. One key factor in the industry’s development is the region’s proximity to Asian markets. The development of a government strategy that takes into account the opinions of existing creative industry leaders and the specifics of each region of the Far Eastern Federal District would help to develop creative industries more quickly and systematically, which would boost the share of creative industries in the country’s economy and increase the number of active people employed in such industries in the region where they reside.

Moderator:
Roman Karmanov — Chief Executive Officer, Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives

Panellists:
Tatyana Abankina — Director, Center for Creative Economy, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Anna Afanasyeva — Deputy Director for Project Activities, Roskulttsentr
Igor Namakonov — General Director, Federation of Creative Industries
Elvira Nurgalieva — First Deputy General Director for Social Development, Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

Front row participants:
Innokentiy Dementyev — Deputy General Director, Presidential Grants Foundation
Sergey Dmitrienko — First Deputy Head of the City of Vladivostok
Natalia Karpova — Head of Project Support, Center for Entrepreneurship Support of the Primorsky Territory
Daniela Pica — Member of the Board, Vladivostok Design
Afanasiy Savvin — General Director, Sakha Republic Development Corporation
Petr Strelec — Head, Center for the Development of Territories of the Amur Region
Artur Tumanyan — Project Producer, Club of Cheerful and Resourceful

2 September 2022 will mark the 77th anniversary since the Socialist Republic of Vietnam declared independence. All these years, the people of Vietnam and Russia have jointly defended national sovereignty and have demonstrated great potential for international cooperation based on mutual respect, trust, and consideration for national interests. Today, Russian-Vietnamese relations are a comprehensive strategic partnership. Trade and economic relations, cooperation in education, science, and modern technologies are increasingly important for the sustainable development of the two countries. The Eastern Economic Forum is an excellent opportunity to discuss the strategic development of cooperation in the interests of both Russia and Vietnam. This year's Forum differs from previous ones. The influence of the Russian Far East on the overall development of the country is increasing significantly. Given the sanctions that unfriendly countries are adopting against Russia, the East is becoming the main direction for strengthening the national economy. On the one hand, these sanctions do create obstacles, but on the other hand they create new opportunities for industry, agriculture, innovation, science, and education. What priorities are on the agenda today? What are the national interests? What must be done to secure them? What role does the business community of the two countries play in this, and what support can the leadership of the regions and the Federal Centre give them?

Moderator:
Sergey Kochetkov — First Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Media Group "Rossiya Segodnya"

Panellists:
Nikolay Ivanov — Vice-President for the Implementation of State Programmes, Sustainable Development and Forest Policy, Segezha Group; Vice-President, Union of Timber Manufacturers and Exporters of Russia (online)
Sergey Levin — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation
Dang Minh Khoi — Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan (online)
Cyril Pacary — General Director, CVLOGRUS
Ngo Sy Hoai — Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association (online)
Vyacheslav Kharinov — Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (online)
Nguyen Hong Thanh — Head, Trade Representation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Vladivostok
Le Truong Son — President, Vietnam Businessmen's Association
Alexander Shokhin — President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs
Andrey Yatskin — First Deputy Speaker, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Yevgeny Vlasov — Acting Vice-Rector for International Relations, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Vasily Grudev — Minister of Investment Policy, Government of the Sakhalin Oblast
Denis Kanataev — Commercial Director, Far-Eastern Shipping Company
Gavril Kirillin — Minister of External Relations and Ethnic Affairs of the Republic of Sakha Yakutia

In 2022, Russia launched the Circular Economy federal project, which is overseeing the development of programmes in various sectors and legislative initiatives to ensure that resources with potential economic benefits are used as efficiently as possible. As is happening elsewhere in the world, a new paradigm is emerging in place of a linear economic model, with efforts to minimize waste generation and return secondary raw materials into economic circulation. The main goal of the circular economic model is to reduce waste generation and popularize the principles of utilizing secondary raw materials across the economy. In view of this, the creation of an effective waste management system becomes a priority measure in efforts to achieve sustainable development goals. What are the key state policy priorities that could help to bring about a circular economy in Russia? What measures need to be taken to provide industry with technologies and components as part of the import substitution program? What best global practices for transitioning to a circular economy could be applied in Russia? How could an effective and seamless system be created to prepare employees for the circular economy? What state support measures are needed to ensure the accelerated development of a waste sorting system? How effective is the development of the sharing economy in increasing conscious consumption among citizens?

Moderator:
Kirill Tokarev — Editor-in-Chief, Anchor, RBC

Panellists:
Stanislav Bogdanov — Director for Government Relations, X5 Group
Sergey Korolev — Deputy General Director for Regional Development, Russian Environmental Operator Public Law Company
Ivan Lobanov — Rector, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics
Yulia Mihaleva — Deputy Director, Russian Quality System (Roskachestvo)
Dmitriy Tetenkin — Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Elena Parkhomenko — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Primorsky Territory

The geopolitical crisis of 2022 means that participants and regulators operating in Russia’s oil and gas market must make a balanced assessment and adapt to the new economic reality in a timely fashion. Thanks to the rapid reorientation of exports to Asia-Pacific countries, the Russian treasury received RUB 3.3 trillion in additional oil and gas revenues in the first six months of this year, which is more than the figure for the whole of 2021. Russia ranks second among countries exporting oil to China and India, which are poised to take a 30% share of global oil demand by 2025. Continuing the eastward expansion, Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation signed a new contract on the supply of an additional 10 billion m3 of gas per year via the Far East route, and a feasibility study on the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline (an extension of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline through Mongolia) was also carried out. At the same time, the critical dependence on imported technologies and equipment for large-scale LNG production is slowing and blocking the development of liquefied gas exports. Cumulatively, this should lead to increased demand on domestic markets (gas chemical projects, gasification, development of small-scale LNG and gas motor fuel markets) alongside changes to institutional frameworks including efforts to strike a new balance between participants, the likely rejection of price regulations for industrial customers, and the further development of exchange trading. How can the potential of Far Eastern energy resources be realized on an elective basis over the next 20–30 years under sanctions? What plans are in place for the construction and modernization of large and medium-sized manufacturing facilities with an implementation period to 2025? Will technological sanctions halt the implementation of gas engine projects? Will the practice of LNG bunkering ships grow in relevance? What incentives can be offered to friendly nations?

Moderator:
Daria Kozlova — Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Ministry of Energy of Russia

Panellists:
Mikhail Karisalov — Chairman of the Management Board, Chief Executive Officer, SIBUR
Vitaly Korolev — Deputy Head, Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation
Vitaly Markelov — Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee, Member of the Board of Directors, Gazprom
Oleg Melnikov — Executive Vice President – Head of the Department of Banking Support for Contracts, Gazprombank
Stanislav Neverov — General Director, East Arctic Oil and Gas Corporation
Pavel Sorokin — First Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Alexey Belik — Prime Minister of Sakhalin Region

Geopolitical challenges require decisive action, thus a new development centre in the Asia-Pacific region must be formed. BAM and the Trans-Siberian Railway (the Eastern Polygon of the Russian Railways) are the only transport arteries linking the Russia’s West with its East. These conduits also provide the flow of goods from Russia to promising markets in the Asia-Pacific Region. However, the Eastern Polygon is full of bottlenecks, which significantly hamper export freight traffic and constrain the development of the Far East. According to the results of 2021, the Eastern Polygon has reached its maximum load, the total carrying capacity amounted to 144 million tonnes. Due to the existing infrastructural restrictions, there is an acute deficit of carrying and throughput capacities of the Eastern Polygon (shortage of about 90 million tonnes, without taking into account the rerouting of cargo traffic from the West to the East). How to eliminate the deficit of carrying capacity of the Eastern Polygon? What support tools are needed to speed up the pace of construction of vital arteries? What is the socio-economic effect of the project implementation?

Moderator:
Ruslan Baysarov — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bamtonnelstroy-Most; Member, All-Russian Public Organization "Bamovskoye Commonwealth"

Panellists:
Pavel Brusser — First Vice President – Head, Infrastructure and PPP Department, Gazprombank
Mikhail Degtyarev — Governor of Khabarovsky Territory
Dmitry Islamov — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Energy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Andrey Kutepov — Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Andrew Makarov — Deputy General Director, Russian Railways
Irina Olkhovskaya — Chief Officer for Seaport and Railway Projects, UMMC
Vasily Orlov — Governor of Amur Region
Sergey Tsivilev — Governor of Kemerovo Region – Kuzbass
Sergey Shishkarev — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Delo Group of Companies

Front row participants:
Maxim Basov — General Director, SUEK
Vladimir Burovtsev — Rector, Far Eastern State Transport University
Mikhail Ivanov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Valentin Letunovskiy — Deputy Head of Presidential Control Directorate
Olga Kharlamova — Vice President – Director of Key Accounts Department , Sberbank

In 2021, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East initiated and launched a mechanism of state support, namely the Far Eastern Concession Programme, aimed at removing infrastructure constraints in the Far East for regional residents and investors. As of today, 8 pilot projects with total investments of RUB 12.3 billion have already been approved and are being implemented as part of the programme. There is an acute shortage of new facilities in the areas of education, children's development, health care, as well as housing and communal services. There is a growing demand on the part of investors for the provision of transport infrastructure, primarily roads and energy facilities. At the same time, in the current economic conditions it is necessary to find balance between the existing budgetary constraints and the conditions for attracting financing and investors for the implementation of concession projects.

Moderator:
Pavel Seleznev — General Director, Public-Private Partnership Development Center

Panellists:
Alexander Aksakov — Director of Infrastructure Bonds Division, DOM.RF
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Kirill Bychkov — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Alexander Dolgov — Partner, Head of Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships, Better Chance
Victor Kalashnikov — Deputy Chairman of the Government – Minister of Economic Development of Khabarovsk Territory
Pavel Puzanov — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Amur Region
Diana Samandas — Minister of Finance of the Magadan Oblast
Maria Sinicic — Director of the Department for Integrated Development of Territories, Ministry of Construction, Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation
Vera Shcherbina — First Vice-Governor – Chairman of the Government of the Primorsky Territory

Front row participants:
Vartan Avetov — Executive Director, Creative Technologies
Anna Baginskaya — Managing Director, Head of the PPP Center, Sberbank
Roman Berdnikov — First Deputy General Director, Member of the Management Board, RusHydro
Vladimir Demidyuk — General Director, VTB Infrastructure Holding
Alisa Denisova — Executive Director of the Business Block, VEB.RF; General Director, Proshkola
Valery Eremin — General Director, System Concessions
Viktoria Ivacheva — Deputy Director for Public Private Partnership, DNS Development
Denis Nozdrachev — General Director, InfraVEB
Pavel Ovchinnikov — General Director, K1 Concessions
Oleg Popov — Acting Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region

The development of the Far East as a centre of the aviation industry has an important role to play in building sustainable business relations with partners from the Asia-Pacific region and will aid the systematic diversification of advanced aviation equipment manufacturing at enterprises in the Far Eastern Federal District, including the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (Republic of Buryatia), the Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company in Arsenyev (Primorye Territory), the Yuri Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant and the production centre of the Irkut Corporation Regional Aircraft branch in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Khabarovsk Territory). What state support measures are needed to attract Russian and foreign investors? What steps should be taken to increase production capacity at enterprises in the context of the counterproductive sanctions policy of western states? Is it possible to speed up the process of finding new suppliers of critical aviation components and offset the damage caused by the suspension of ties with former business partners? How can the existing issues in ensuring full technological sovereignty be solved in the name of addressing the present challenges?

Moderator:
Wilhelmina Shavshina — Partner, Head of International Trade and Customs Practice, B1 Group of Companies

Panellists:
Ivan Abramov — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Fedor Borisov — Chief Expert, Institute of Transport Economics and Transport Policy, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Oleg Bocharov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Nikolay Kushnarev — Director of the Industrial Policy Department, Eurasian Economic Commission
Konstantin Sukhorebrik — General Director, Aurora Airlines
Igor Chalik — Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Mariya Avilova — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Khabarovsk Krai
Oleg Bogomolov — Director of Civil Aviation Programs, Ural Works of Civil Aviation
Alexander Dulebenets — Head of Logistics Department of SSJ, Irkut Corporation
Alexey Kozlov — Chief Executive Officer, Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant
Denis Nevzorov — Director of the Department for International Cooperation and Technological Development of the Far East and the Arctic, Ministry of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

The Far East is one of the most urbanized macro-regions of Russia. Given the global challenges that Russia faces, it is crucial to view cities as strongholds for the future strategy of transforming the macro-region’s economy. Identifying the challenges that Far East cities are facing is a major task for the expert community. This session will take a look at the systemic challenges for cities of the Far East from the standpoint of the population, business, and management. Systematic master planning is a new format for Far Eastern cities to achieve a new quality of life and economic development. What key conclusions have emerged from this work, both in terms of the methodical application of the master planning tool as well as systemic urban processes, and how will the master plan be integrated into the decision-making system? What kind of image will the future cities of the Far East have? What industries currently face the biggest challenges in Far Eastern cities from the perspective of residents, entrepreneurs, and managers? What support tools, including financial and legislative measures, can help respond to the key challenges faced by the macro-region’s cities? What role can business play in solving the biggest problems for the development of Far Eastern cities?

Moderator:
Daria Kiryanova — Deputy General Director for Economic Development, Far East and Arctic Development Corporation; Head of the Project Office, Muravyov-Amursky 2030

Panellists:
Vitaly Mutko — Chief Executive Officer, DOM.RF
Sergey Nosov — Governor of Magadan Region
Maxim Oreshkin — Aide to the President of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory
Alexey Tsydenov — Head of the Republic of Buryatia
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (online)
Andrey Sharonov — Chief Executive Officer, National ESG-Alliance
Igor Shuvalov — Chairman, VEB.RF

Front row participants:
Olga Arkhangelskaya — Partner, Head of Services for Real Estate, Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Companies, B1 Group of Companies
Andrey Volkov — Academic Policy Advisor, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory
Natalya Trunova — Auditor, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation
Konstantin Shestakov — Head of the City of Vladivostok

The most important long-term objective in the development of the Far East and the Arctic is to create the necessary infrastructure to ensure regular year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route (NSR). In an effort to ensure the sustainable growth of Arctic shipping and the effective implementation of investment projects, the Russian government has approved a plan for the development of the NSR for the period until 2035. Pursuant to instructions from the Russian president and a government resolution, the Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route has been created within the Rosatom State Corporation, which is responsible for managing navigation along the NSR. In addition, ambitious projects by major enterprises with a projected consolidated cargo base of 200 million tonnes have created a need for the year-round operation of the NSR. Close cooperation between the government and business will help enhance the economic appeal of the route, strengthen security in the region, and also ease the load on the Eastern railway operating domain. What logistics arrangements to export cargo will be needed in the new geopolitical conditions? When will the NSR be able to launch year-round navigation towards the east? What infrastructure needs to be created for the sustainable operation of the NSR as a national maritime transport corridor between the Far East and the European part of Russia?

Moderator:
Mikhail Kuznetsov — Director, Eastern State Planning Center (FANU Vostokgosplan)

Panellists:
Evgeniy Ambrosov — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, NOVATEK
Gadzhimagomed Guseynov — First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Ivin — Deputy Head, Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation
Karin Kneissl — Federal Minister for Europe and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria (2017–2019)
Vladimir Panov — Special Representative for the Development of the Arctic, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Dmitry Pankov — General Director, Delo Management Company
Andrey Severilov — Chairman of the Board, Far-Eastern Shipping Company

The Far East is the country’s leading region in terms of mining, yet its mineral potential is not fully explored. There are over 6,500 deposits of solid minerals and hydrocarbons in the territory. Interests of state authorities, subsoil user companies, and scientific institutions converge here in the pursuit of strategic and innovative projects’ implementation. The mineral industry of the Far East makes a significant contribution to the economic development of the country and plays an important role in ensuring the raw material sovereignty of the Russian Federation as a key factor of national security. Taking into account the sanctions, as well as the fact that various domestic industries have been missing various types of imported products, it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of the state and business to reduce the high dependence on imports and achieve the country's raw material sovereignty. Strategic minerals should become a new priority for geological exploration. Attempts to isolate Russia from international logistics chains entail the need to develop deep processing and create high value-added products within the country, as well as accelerated infrastructure development of the regions. New prospects for the development of the mineral resource base of the Far East. How is raw material sovereignty ensured in the changed foreign policy environment? How to simplify the issuance of licenses for the use of mineral resources in order to reduce the excessive administrative burden and accelerate the launch of new mineral projects? How to simplify access to inert materials for accelerated infrastructure development of the regions?

Moderator:
Oleg Kazanov — Director, All-Russian Institute of Mineral Resources. N.M. Fedorovsky

Panellists:
Vladimir Verkhovtsev — General Director, Atomredmetzoloto
Sergey Zhuravlev — Vice President of Government Relations, Polyus
Alexander Kozlov — Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation
Anna Tsivileva — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kolmar Group
Vyacheslav Chirkov — Chief Geologist - Deputy General Director, Surgutneftegaz

Front row participants:
Alexander Popov — Vice President, Head of the Trans-Baikal Division, OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel
Igor Semenov — Executive Director, First Ore Mining Company

Tourism is increasingly being talked about as a driver of economic development. The development of domestic and inbound tourism today is a strategic state policy priority, requiring the creation of policy papers based on a comprehensive analysis. How can Russia’s tourism potential be fully unlocked? How could a master planning tool adopting a spatial approach make a difference? What areas of investment and support measures should be included in policy papers? How does the tourism industry affect the sustainable development of territories and improve the quality of life of local populations?

Moderator:
Alexander Tkachev — Beneficiary, Mantera Group

Panellists:
Sergey Bachin — General Director, Vasta Discovery
Zarina Doguzova — Head, Russian Federal Agency for Tourism
Anton Zaytsev — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region
Dmitry Mednikov — Managing Director, Russian Media Group
Anton Perin — Senior Managing Banker of Business Unit, VEB.RF
Vadim Prasov — Director General, Alliance Hotel Management
Maksim Reshetnikov — Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Alexander Svetachev — Director, Northern Expeditions
Dmitry Chernyshenko — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory
Olga Sun-Zhayu — General Director, Development Corporation of Primorsky Region
Sergey Sukhanov — General Director, Corporation Tourism.RF

The Far East is a unique region with a variety of features that support the creation of businesses of all kinds. Nevertheless, the location of the macroregion and market conditions dictate its path of development. The markets of the Asia-Pacific countries are becoming more and more attractive to entrepreneurs in the Far East, but the development of the region’s export potential is held back by sanitary restrictions, issues with deliveries of products, a lack of proper terminals and infrastructure, and difficulties with payments. In the Far Eastern Federal District, the harsh climate, the lack of a high-quality road network, logistical remoteness, underdevelopment in general aviation, low population density and a significant tariff and taxation burden add to the existing objective factors that impede business in general and exports in particular. At present, only 1% of small and medium-sized businesses export their products, compared with 70% in Japan and over 50% in China. Exports – an indicator of competitiveness – must increase if economic growth is to be achieved. There is a sizeable number of promising export projects in the regions of the Far East, and the state is implementing many initiatives and support measures in the territory. There are, however, a number of issues that still need to be addressed. What and how are small and medium-sized businesses exporting? How can the collection, purchase and processing of wild plants and foods (including honey) be developed and turned into an attractive opportunity for SMEs and the self-employed? What difficulties do entrepreneurs face when exporting and how can they be resolved? What are the areas and drivers of growth?

Moderator:
Alexey Bobrovsky — Economic Observer

Panellists:
Pavel Volkov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic
Vladimir Gruzdev — Chairman of the Board, Association of Lawyers of Russia
German Zverev — President, All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters
Aleksandr Isayevich — General Director – Chairman of the Management Board, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation
Alexander Kalinin — President, All‑Russian Non‑Governmental Organization of Small and Medium‑Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Elina Sidorenko — General Director, Platform

Front row participants:
Vitaliy Gumenyuk — General Director, Stroyinter; Co-Founder, Ginkgo
Andrey Dalnov — Head of the Center for Industry Expertise, Russian Agricultural Bank
Sergey Dudnik — General Director, SPAR Far East
Alexey Shashkin — Director of Small and Microbusiness Division, Sberbank

Ensuring that Russian books are available for residents of the Far East and creating an accessible environment for the development of intellect, scientific potential, and creativity are among the main objectives for achieving high-quality results in modern upbringing, education, and culture. A market for Russian literature needs to be established, and new publications need to be integrated into the cultural space. What kind of support do Russian authors and publishers need from the government? How can we develop regional book communities? What kind of support do young authors and journalists need? How can we make libraries more popular among the public? What needs to be done to develop the activities of literary circles and extracurricular groups at schools and universities?

Moderator:
Alexander Kolesov — Director, Pacific Publishing House "Rubezh"

Panellists:
Elena Bronnikova — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Primorsky Territory, Minister of Culture and Archival Affairs of the Primorsky Territory
Nikita Vorobyov — Historian
Andrey Gelasimov — Russian Contemporary Writer (online)
Vyacheslav Konovalov — Curator, All-Russian Literary Prize “Far East” named after VK Arsenyev; President, "Literature of Pacific Russia" Festival (online)
Denis Kotov — Founder, Bookvoed
Grigoriy Kuranov — Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation
Daria Matsuk — Acting Director, Information and Analytical Center for Reserve Support

The Russian Federation aims to maintain a balance between its socioeconomic development and the current environmental agenda, which is driven by the need to ensure the country’s environmental security and sovereignty, among other things. Priorities include creating a sustainable municipal solid waste management system, halving emissions that have the greatest negative impact on the environment and human health, eliminating the most dangerous and harmful objects that have accumulated over time, implementing a number of measures to preserve biodiversity and improve water bodies, and also establishing a culture of environmental consciousness among the population. Environmental policy issues require the development of modern solutions and innovative approaches that take into account the global challenges of our time, the strengthening of international and interagency cooperation, the consolidation of various sectors of the economy, as well as extensive discussions at the highest level.

Moderator:
Alexander Zakondyrin — Chairman, Public Council under the Ministry of Nature of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Elena Boitsova — Deputy Chief of Staff, Accounts Chamber Russian Federation
Andrey Grachev — Vice President for Federal and Regional Programs, Norilsk Nickel
Tatiana Zavyalova — Senior Vice President for ESG, Sberbank (online)
Stephan Solzhenitsyn — Chief Executive Officer, SGK; Member of the Board of Directors, SUEK
Aleksey Uchenov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Konstantin Tsyganov — First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation (online)
Aliya Shalabekova — Vive-Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of Republic of Kazakhstan

Front row participants:
Andrey Betin — Deputy Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region
Andrey Lebedev — Director of National and Industry Environmental Programs Realization Direction, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Tadzio Schilling — Chief Executive Officer, Association of European Businesses (АЕВ)

Today, Russia is making a significant contribution to the intensification of international integration that aims to resolve key universal issues: health care and medical development. During the pandemic, Russian scientists created the world's first vaccine – Sputnik V – which was successfully used far beyond the country's borders. Russia's participation in global cooperation is manifested in the export of medical services, exchange of qualified personnel, as well as joint scientific and educational initiatives. Cooperation in the field of medical technologies is aimed at developing innovative projects that ensure the fastest transition to personalized medicine, high-tech health care, and the use of advanced healthcare methods. The most important thing in the meantime is to create horizontal links to improve the efficiency of all processes, including those in the Asia-Pacific region. What opportunities exist today for mutually beneficial cooperation in healthcare and the exchange of medical technology and personnel? What trends in the development of medical technologies in the Asia-Pacific region should the macro-region rely on? To what extent do the existing institutions of global healthcare cover the needs for international integration in the field of health care?

Moderator:
Olga Kobyakova — Director, Federal Research Institute for Health Organization and Informatics of Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Thet Khaing Win — Union Minister of Health of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Andrey Kaprin — General Director, Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation; Chief Oncologist of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (online)
Valery Limarenko — Governor of Sakhalin Region
Alexander Tarnovsky — General Director, VSK
Victor Fisenko — First Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation
Valentin Shumatov — Rector, Pacific State Medical University
Tatyana Yakovleva — First Deputy Head, Federal Medical-Biological Agency of the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Anastasia Khudchenko — Deputy Head of Primorye Territory Administration, Ministry of Health of Primorye Territory

In line with the Strategy for Spatial Development of the Russian Federation to 2025, mining has been declared a primary strategic outlook for the economic specialization of all federal subjects in the Far East. The development of the minerals and raw materials industry under the National Programme for the Socioeconomic Development of the Far East to 2024 and up to 2035 has been highlighted as a priority. The meeting of the Supreme Mining Council will look at the tasks facing the mining industry in terms of implementing its strategies priorities for the socioeconomic development of the Far East and Arctic, as well as issues related to planning for sufficient staffing, the development of marine mining and the prospects for business in the Far Eastern mineral resource cluster in the current climate.

Moderator:
Anatoly Nikitin — Executive Director, Association "Non-profit partnership Miners of Russia"

Panellists:
Dmitry Afanasiev — Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (online)
Aleksei Belov — Chairman of the Council for Mining and Geological Education of the Far Eastern Federal District
Anatoly Vasyanovich — Chairman, Far Eastern Branch of the Academy of Mining Sciences; Member of the Supreme Mining Council of Russia
Valery Zaharov — Director, Institute for Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Sergey Mochalnikov — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation (online)
Elvira Nurgalieva — First Deputy General Director for Social Development, Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Alexander Popov — Vice President, Head of the Trans-Baikal Division, OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel
Pavel Suranov — First Deputy General Director, Primorsky Gas
Anna Tsivileva — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kolmar Group
Yury Shafranik — Chairman of the Board, Union of Oil and Gas Producers of Russia (online)
Alexander Shulyupin — Director of the Mining Institute, Khabarovsk Federal Research Center of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The start of the special military operation in Ukraine has proven akin to a dam breaking: an unprecedented avalanche of fake news and dirt engulfed the world and Russian information space, which is designed to denigrate, demoralize, and ultimately bring Russia to its knees. Today, more than ever, it is crucial for Russia to not only defeat Nazism in Ukraine, but to also win the information war. There is too much at stake. How can we counter this coordinated aggression that is an integral part of modern hybrid warfare? What are the key ways to counter the giant propaganda machine of the West? Can we instil basic information hygiene skills in social media users?

Moderator:
Anton Borisov — Anchor, Russia 24 TV Channel

Panellists:
Maria Zakharova — Director, Department of Information and the Press, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Vovan and Lexus — Prankers
Dmitriy Kiseliev — General Director, Media Group "Rossiya Segodnya"
Daniel Ortega — Media Coordinator, Communication and Citizenship Council of the Republic of Nicaragua

Front row participant:
Grigoriy Kuranov — Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation

Drug security is a key priority of the national social agenda. In the face of challenges, the issues such as preserving the availability of medicines; the financial sustainability and technological sovereignty of the pharmaceutical industry; and the implementation of state guarantees on drug provision require prompt elaboration and careful monitoring. The main goal is to ensure the wide availability of medication, and to guarantee that citizens have access to the most effective modern treatments, especially in remote areas of the country. Despite the sanctions, the regions of the Far East should not experience a shortage of medicines. This notion provides a powerful incentive for the development of the pharmaceutical industry, but it is limited by a number of factors. Those include underdeveloped infrastructure, a small market capacity, and the remoteness of the region from the larger domestic markets and major raw material producers, which makes the inflow of investment difficult. Nevertheless, the FEFD has wide potential for development. What strategic decisions, both at the state and macro-regional levels, can ensure the wide availability of medicines? What are the prospects for opening new pharmaceutical companies and localizing production in the macro-region? What industries can we cooperate with in order to develop new technologies? How to create conditions for economic development and increase the investment attractiveness of the industry in the new realities?

Moderator:
Aleksandr Petrov — Chairman of the Subcommittee on Medicines, Development of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for Health Protection

Panellists:
Yuriy Zhulev — President, Russian Hemophilia Society (online)
Alla Samoylova — Head, Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare (Roszdravnadzor) (online)
Veronika Skvortsova — Head, Federal Medical-Biological Agency of the Russian Federation
Victor Fisenko — First Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation
Anastasia Khudchenko — Deputy Head of Primorye Territory Administration, Ministry of Health of Primorye Territory
Tadzio Schilling — Chief Executive Officer, Association of European Businesses (АЕВ)

The new challenges of 2022 have created opportunities for domestic manufacturers to increase their own production and develop promising domestic technologies. To take advantage of these opportunities, during this period of turbulence, businesses need strong personnel within the country. The development, introduction, and use of new solutions in such a short time requires an entirely different level of expertise from modern leaders. What are the requirements for leaders today in business and government projects? What personal and professional qualities do modern Russian leaders need? How can these skills be developed? Where can businesses and government agencies look for young talent now? How are universities redesigning curricula to meet the new needs of employers?

Moderator:
Alexey Komissarov — Director General, Russia – the Country of Opportunities

Panellists:
Dmitry Breytenbikher — Senior Vice President, Head of Premium Customer Relations, VTB Bank
Alexander Bugaev — First Deputy Minister of Enlightenment of the Russian Federation
Boris Korobets — Acting Rector, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Denis Kravchenko — Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Economic Policy
Aleksandra Lebedeva — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Kamchatka Territory
Aleksey Uchenov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Mikhail Gordin — Acting Rector, Bauman Moscow State Technical University
Tatyana Mineeva — Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights Protection in Moscow

This year, climate issues remain a key challenge for most countries around the world. Both abnormal heat waves and turbulence in energy markets affect the prospects for achieving global goals in adapting to climate change. When Russia created a carbon unit trading market it took an important step in this direction. On 1 September the country will introduce the main infrastructure element of this new market: National Registry of Carbon Units. At the same time, a regional experiment on carbon neutrality begins in the Sakhalin region. The island is becoming the centre of carbon regulation in Russia. In accordance with the procedure of the experiment, regulated organizations will be able to claim voluntary carbon units issued as a result of the climate projects’ implementation. Russia has a significant potential for the development of such projects. Along with its own decarbonization, projects like this can become a promising area of international cooperation with various countries, including those in the Asian region. What could the Russian market of voluntary carbon units and fulfilment units look like? What prospects are opened for the national climate agenda through the prism of the Sakhalin experiment? Who will buy units in the Russian market and whether foreign counterparties will be able to participate in this market? Who will be on the supply side? How much can it cost to produce a carbon unit in Russia? And how is the supply/demand ratio generally estimated?

Moderator:
Ekaterina Salugina-Sorokovaya — General Director, International and Comparative Law Research Center

Panellists:
Dmitry Konov — Member of the Council, Russian Chemists Union
Valery Limarenko — Governor of Sakhalin Region
Maksim Reshetnikov — Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Natalya Tretyak — First Vice President, Gazprombank
Alexander Shokhin — President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs

Front row participants:
Oksana Gogunskaya — General Director, Kontur
Denis Deryushkin — Deputy General Director - Head of Analytical Center, Russian Energy Agency of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation

The fishing industry is a priority component of food security for the domestic market and represents a considerable share of Russian exports. The regeneration and improvement of production, extraction and logistics assets within the fisheries industry guarantee high-quality and affordable aquatic biological resources for the Russian population and a competitive environment for domestic products on export markets. In the new reality and in view of the sanctions policy imposed by unfriendly countries, the issue of self-sufficiency is more pressing than ever. Furthermore, the highly charged situation is dictating the terms when it comes to building reliable and independent international relations, which are necessary in order for Russian exports to be independent. The further regeneration and improvement of the Russian fishing industry’s fishing, production and logistics assets is an important factor, including the recalibration of the investment quota mechanism in line with current realities. What must be done to ensure affordable pricing and a wide range of high-quality products on the shelves of retail outlets and in restaurants and fast food establishments? How can a culture of fish consumption be fostered among the younger generation, and what can be done to maximize the replacement of imports with domestic products? How can the share of the shadow market for products from illegally harvested aquatic biological resources be reduced? What opportunities are there for building reliable ‘trade bridges’ with new export markets?

Moderator:
Alexander Panin — Chairman, Fish Union Non-profit Organization

Panellists:
Igor Bukharov — President, Federation of Restaurateurs & Hoteliers of Russia
Alexander Demyanov — Member of the Board of Directors, Advanced Technologies Development Center (ATDC); Managing Director, VEB.RF
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Olga Naumova — General Director, Russian Fishery Company
Andrey Polomar — General Director, Antey Asset Management
Vladimir Sitnov — Senior Vice President, Sberbank
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory
Ilya Shestakov — Head, Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo)
Pavel Shumov — Head of the Department for Interaction with Regional Authorities, X5 Group

Front row participants:
Inna Golfand — Partner, Strategy Partners
Konstantin Dolgov — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Despite the current geopolitical challenges, agriculture remains one of the most stable industries. Notwithstanding, the level of self-sufficiency in agricultural production of the Far East regions remains low. At the same time, there are prerequisites for significant improvement. Notable potential lies in putting more agricultural land into circulation. Another opportunity is ample raw material base for developing oil crops processing and for production of fodder products, which is the basis for the sustainable development of dairy and beef cattle breeding, as well as poultry farming. The Far East is able to feed itself. Both nature and climate of the Far Eastern Federal District’s regions make it possible to grow almost any type of crops and agricultural products. Do the existing support measures for the industry allow for a multiple increase in production volumes? Which areas of the industry are priorities for each region? How to ensure the transfer of products between the regions of the FEFD? How can unused land be brought into use more quickly? How can industry support measures be changed to increase the level of self-sufficiency of the Far East in agricultural products?

Moderator:
Denis Tsesarenko — Founder, Teros; Founder, Sporos

Panellists:
Alexander Becker — Director General, Grin Agro
Artem Belov — Director General, National Union of Milk Producers (Soyuzmoloko)
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Kirill Bychkov — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Yury Egorov — Founder, Samberi
Sergei Lakhtyukhov — General Director, National Union of Poultry Farmers
Mikhail Matveenko — Deputy General Director, Ekoniva-APK Holding
Andrei Razin — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation (online)
Nikolay Kharitonov — Chairman of the Committee on the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Evgeny Shestyuk — General Director, Myasoopttorg

Front row participants:
Olesya Kalashnikova — Director of Large Business Department, Russian Agricultural Bank
Tatiana Kreitor — Managing Director of Corporate Business Development Department, Sberbank
Boris Maksimov — Chairman of the Supervisory Board, National Association of professionals in the Field of Irrigation
Vitaliy Sergeychuk — Senior Vice President, VTB Bank
Maxim Smirnov — Deputy Head, The Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography (Rosreestr)
Oleg Turkov — Deputy Chairman of the Government, Minister of Agriculture of the Amur Oblast

The economic potential of the Far East, a region of priority development, cannot be unleashed without modernizing its energy infrastructure, of which more than 60% has physically deteriorated. Over 350 energy facilities need to be immediately renovated, yet the existing mechanisms for attracting investment are unable to keep up with the investment needed for the region’s energy industry. In the electric power industry, strategic facilities that are essential to the development of the Eastern Operating Domain, among other things, have already been identified and included in the Comprehensive Plan for the Modernization and Expansion of Key Infrastructure. In the thermal power supply sector, major investment projects are currently being drawn up. The Far Eastern Concession mechanism for the creation and modernization of heat supply facilities has started being tested. One major problem in this regard is the lack of investment sources that are available in the current tariff regulation plan. Ensuring high-quality and reliable heat supply in the region would require five times more funds than what are available today. Growth in world energy prices requires the development of effective mechanisms to regulate fuel prices in order to prevent them from increasing on the domestic market for energy, housing, and utility companies. How can we enhance the investment appeal of heat and power facilities, and what government support tools will help solve these problems? How can we increase the appeal of the domestic coal market for suppliers of this type of fuel?

Moderator:
Maxim Basov — General Director, SUEK

Panellists:
Gadzhimagomed Guseynov — First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Vitaly Korolev — Deputy Head, Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation
Yuriy Korsun — Deputy Chairman, VEB.RF
Aisen Nikolaev — Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Stephan Solzhenitsyn — Chief Executive Officer, SGK; Member of the Board of Directors, SUEK
Irek Fayzullin — Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation
Mikhail Khardikov — Head of Energy Business, En+ Group; General Director, Eurosibenergo
Viktor Khmarin — Chairman of the Management Board, General Director, RusHydro
Aleksey Shilo — Deputy Managing Director, Head, Centre for Corporate Transport Services (CFTO), Russian Railways

In recent years, the Far East has deployed a network of infrastructure that not only aims to ensure economic growth, but also the thorough transformation of the economy and global competitiveness. Despite the substantial results of individual projects, the potential for the development of the Far East has yet to be fully unleashed. The new reality that has taken shape due to unprecedented sanctions has forced Russia to take a fresh look at the functions of each type of investment infrastructure and form a system to ensure the comprehensive economic development of the macro-region. How can we ensure proper interaction between certain types of investment infrastructure: priority development areas, innovative science and technology centres, special economic zones, federal universities, and so on? How can the appeal of existing infrastructure be enhanced for investors? Development infrastructure or job creation infrastructure: should efficiency be the same everywhere? How can the regions build cooperative ties to take advantage of the infrastructure that has been created?

Moderator:
Natalya Trunova — Auditor, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Alexey Besprozvannykh — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Viktor Markov — Director, TransContainer
Alexey Repik — Chairman, Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia); Chairman of the Board, Group R-Pharm (online)
Alexander Smekalin — Director, Division “Regional Development and Investments”, Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects (online)
Elena Kharisova — Vice President for Perspective Projects, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU); General Director, Development Fund of the Innovative Research and Technology Center Russky
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (online)
Le Truong Son — President, Vietnam Businessmen's Association

Front row participants:
Vyacheslav Alenkov — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region
Tatyana Karavaeva — Vice President, Head of Spatial Development, Center for Strategic Research
Alexander Osipov — Governor of Trans-Baikal Territory
Dmitry Tvardovsky — First Deputy General Director, InfraVEB
Marina Shemilina — Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights in Primorsky Territory

The International Commercial Arbitration Court (ICAC, established in 1932) and the Maritime Arbitration Commission (MAC, established in 1930) are leading permanent arbitration institutions in Russia and worldwide, operating under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Each year, the ICAC reviews several hundred international commercial disputes involving companies from 40–60 countries. The ICAC has considered more than 10,000 cases in its history, while the MAC has handled over 4,500 cases in merchant shipping with involvement from companies representing over 70 countries. The unique experience of the ICAC and the MAC at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation in resolving arbitration disputes and their recognized international status are especially important in the context of the accelerated development of the economy of the Russian Far East, the promotion of the investment attractiveness of advanced special economic zones and the Free Port of Vladivostok, and the expansion of international economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Moderator:
Sergey Katyrin — President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Ivan Zykin — Professor of the Department of Private International Law, All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation; Deputy Chairman, International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (online)
Alexey Kostin — Chairman, The International Commercial Arbitration Court, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Elena Popova — Arbitrator, The International Commercial Arbitration Court, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation; Managing Partner, Peregrina Law Firm (online)
Natalia Prisekina — Executive Secretary, The International Commercial Arbitration Court, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation in Vladivostok
Chen Simin — Chairman, Guangzhou Arbitration Commission (GZAC) (online)
Nikolay Cheptsov — Arbitrator, Maritime Arbitration Commission, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation

Empowerment of women is one of the fundamental components of a more equitable and sustainable world. The current international situation requires the BRICS countries to address the new challenges: economic crisis, food security threats, climate change. At the same time, guided by the principles of multilateral and multipolar diplomacy to meet the key global challenges, the BRICS+ dialogue has been significantly gaining international weight. By what means can BRICS+ countries lower barriers to women’s participation in the economic and political life? What role could BRICS+ female leaders play in shaping the priorities of the global development and empowerment agenda? What steps are required to strengthen the role of women in the global sustainable development initiatives?

Moderator:
Maria Afonina — Vice Rector for Learning Activities of Educational Center SENEZH (“Russia - the Country of Opportunities” Project)

Panellists:
Vanda Gagiano — Honorary President, Free State Women Agricultural Union, Republic of South Africa (online)
Oleg Kobyakov — Director, Liaison Office with the Russian Federation, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Sarah Mosoetsa — Associate Professor of Sociology at the Witwatersrand University; Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) (online)
Victoria Panova — Vice Rector, National Research University Higher School of Economics; Russian Sherpa, The Women 20 (W20) (online)
Pam Rajput — Sherpa of the Republic of India in the Women's Twenty (W20); Founder, BRICS Feminist Watch Alliance (online)
Maria Luisa Ramos Urzagaste — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bolivia to the Russian Federation (online)
Gulden Turktan — Founding President of W20; Turkish W20 Sherpa; Member, Presidential Council, KAGIDER (Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey) (online)

How strong of an impact do global challenges and world politics have on economic processes, world trade, and manufacturing? Is our understanding of the Russia–Europe economy too centric? Do the pandemic and political conflicts in Eurasia play as important a role for the countries of Africa or Southeast Asia as autonomous and adaptive high-tech, agricultural, and financial markets? Are these challenges driving the emergence of new mechanisms for economic interaction and foreign trade tools?

Moderator:
Artem Malgin — Vice Rector for Development, MGIMO University

Panellists:
Fedor Voytolovskiy — Director, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO)
Konstantin Dolgov — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Ivan Dun — First Vice President, Head of Syndicated and International Finance Department, Gazprombank
Battogtokh Javzandolgor — Chief Executive Officer, MGIMO Alumni Association in Mongolia
Sergey Levin — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Ivan Eremin — Chief Executive Officer, FederalPress; Deputy Chairman, Public Council of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment
Vladimir Salamatov — General Director, Research Center "International Trade and Integration"; Chairman of the Committee on Trade and Economic Relations with Trading Partner Countries, EAEU Business Council
Enkhtsetseg Sosorbaram — Professor, Department of International Relations, School of International Relations and Public Administration, National University of Mongolia

The strategic management of regional development comprises a complex system of methods, documents and mechanisms used over time and designed to ensure the achievement of national priorities. The existing system of strategic management in the Far East is diverse and varies by region. Sufficient experience has been accumulated through domestic and global best practices to determine the need and possibility of changing it, taking into account the current tasks of transforming Russia’s economic system. Is centralizing regional strategic management necessary or possible? Which existing regional strategic management practices should remain decentralized, and which should be centralized? What strategic management resources do the regions of the Far East possess? Is an individual approach to each region required and what would it look like? What is "smart, modern and digital management of regional development" and how can it be integrated into strategic regional management? What contemporary planning and forecasting methods should be introduced into the system of regional strategic management? How can the interests of the population, business and government be brought together in the creation of regional strategies? What best strategic management practices from other countries can be applied to the regions of the Far East?

Moderator:
Mikhail Kuznetsov — Director, Eastern State Planning Center (FANU Vostokgosplan)

Panellists:
Dmitry Belousov — Head of Macroeconomic Analysis and Forecasting, Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting (CMASF)
Irina Kalabikhina — Head of the Department of Population of the Faculty of Economics, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Sergey Kirov — Member of the Board, First Deputy Director General, RusHydro
Valery Kryukov — Director, Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering of the Siberian Branch of the RAS (online)
Yuliya Morozova — Deputy Chairman of the Government of Kamchatskiy Krai
Anna Sharipova — Managing Director for National Projects, Russian Technologies State Corporation

The economic sanctions that have been imposed against Russia are noteworthy in terms of their scale and intensity, but they are quite common in terms of the instruments that are being used. These tools have certainly had an effect: they are worsening the lives of ordinary people, but they are not an instrument of force. They are not leading to changes in political behaviour. They are not breaking any political will. The current geopolitical situation and sanctions wars have led to the formation of a new world order and are accelerating the end of the era of globalization. The model of globalization itself is being transformed: monopolistic public goods are turning into weapons, and, as a result, the global model of how risks are perceived is changing. New systems of interaction between the parties involved in the world order are actively developing. This results in cooperation between sovereign countries, where the focus is not on the threat of blocking trade and financial flows, but on common benefits for all parties. New systems of agreements are taking shape, as are new channels of cooperation that are more effective, but also expensive. There is growing interest in the use of national and digital currencies when making payments for resources. What will the new model of the world’s existence look like? Are sanctions effective and is it possible to counter them? Can sovereignty be suppressed using economic methods?

Moderator:
Alexey Bobrovsky — Economic Observer

Panellists:
Alexey Gruzdev — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Gruzdev — Chairman of the Board, Association of Lawyers of Russia
Glenn Diesen — Professor, Department of Business, History and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway
Anastasia Likhacheva — Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Dmitry Timofeev — Director of the External Restrictions Control Department, Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Sergey Krasilnikov — Vice President, Managing Director of the International Relations and Integration Directorate, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)
Georgy Toloraya — Member of Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 Panel of Experts, UN Security Council
Sohail Khan — Deputy Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (online)

Airports in the Far Eastern Federal District are vital for socioeconomic development and prosperity of the entire region. In the Far East, the airfield network is the integral infrastructural element linking the vast territories and the Government of the Russian Federation allocates significant financing for its development. Budget funds and private investments are attracted for both modernization of existing facilities and construction of new airports. Focus areas include preserving and restoring landing sites in the hard-to-reach settlements, providing access to mineral deposits, and improving the tourist infrastructure. Modern technological airfields and landing sites are the key to the development of domestic industry, small aviation, as well as the network of local airlines. Airports in FEFD capitals and in hard-to-reach settlements: what should they look like today? Cement runways vs unpaved runways: what are pros and cons? What is the future of the airfields as a major link between remote areas? What can leaders share in the way of best practices of investments in the airport infrastructure of the Far East? What effective state support measures are needed for modernization and construction of airfields?

Moderator:
Fedor Borisov — Chief Expert, Institute of Transport Economics and Transport Policy, National Research University Higher School of Economics

Panellists:
Alexander Averkiev — Acting Head of the Airport Operations Department, Federal Agency for Air Transport
Konstantin Basyuk — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Khabarovsk Airport
Andrew Vinichenko — General Director, Vladivostok International Airport
Konstantin Sukhorebrik — General Director, Aurora Airlines
Alexey Tsydenov — Head of the Republic of Buryatia
Igor Chalik — Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation
Evgeniy Chudnovskiy — Director General, Airports of Regions (online)

Front row participants:
Ravil Nasybullov — Director of Logistics Department, Norilsk Nickel
Ivan Pechorin — Managing Director, Far East and Arctic Development Corporation
Vladimir Sivtsev — Minister of Transport of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

The construction industry has always been the main driver of economic development. The multiplier effect from investment in the industry is around 400%. In 2021, an all-time high of more than 3 million square metres of housing were commissioned in the Far Eastern Federal District. However, construction companies need to have the proper conditions in place to make long-term plans in the region (from the manufacturing of building materials to real estate construction). The Far East Mortgage Programme that was launched in 2020 has become the main driver for the development of the construction industry in the Far East. It’s the most popular subsidized mortgage programme in the county and accounts for 75% of all subsidized loans. Soft loans are used to buy every second apartment in new buildings in the Far Eastern Federal District. The higher demand for primary housing that has emerged as a result of the programme has given a major boost to new housing construction projects in the region. In 2021, new construction in the Far Eastern Federal District increased by 597,000 square metres, or 25%, compared with 2% for the rest of Russia. Some 164,000 square metres of multi-apartment housing were commissioned, an increase of 13%, versus 3% for Russia as a whole. In the first half of 2022 alone, construction in the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District increased by almost 1 million square metres, or 38%, compared with the same period of last year. Starting in 2024, integrated residential development projects will start being implemented as part of the Far Eastern Quarter programme. In total, an additional 2.5 million square metres of housing are to be built throughout the Far Eastern Federal District by 2030. What incentives does the construction industry need to maintain these high rates of housing construction in the Far East?

Moderator:
Ivan Polandov — PIK SZ

Panellists:
Alexey Almazov — Managing Partner for the Regions Segment, FSK Group of Companies
Gadzhimagomed Guseynov — First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Vitaly Mutko — Chief Executive Officer, DOM.RF
Anatoly Pechatnikov — Deputy President – Chairman of the Management Board, VTB Bank
Aleksandr Prygunkov — Member of the Board of Directors, Samolet Group
Nikita Stasishin — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation

In the context of rapidly changing foreign policy and economic conditions, the Government of the Russian Federation and leaders in the regions are developing new business support tools and improving conditions for existing incentives. This drives domestic competition for investors. What can be done to ensure that the Far Eastern Federal District has the best conditions for doing business in Russia? What are the best practices for supporting investors? What changes should be made to existing incentive regimes in the Far East?

Moderator:
Olga Arkhangelskaya — Partner, Head of Services for Real Estate, Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Companies, B1 Group of Companies

Panellists:
Vitalii Altabaev — Director of the Department for the Development of Priority Territories of the Far East and the Arctic, Ministry of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Sergey Zhuravlev — Vice President of Government Relations, Polyus
Nikolay Zapryagaev — General Director, Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Andrey Kutepov — Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Mikhail Orlov — Partner, Head of Tax and Legal, Kept (online)
Pyotr Pak — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Amur Region
Dmitry Savenkov — General Director, Legendagro Primomorye LLC
Anatoly Semenov — Minister of Innovations, Digital Development and Communication Technologies of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Front row participant:
Sergey Bachin — General Director, Vasta Discovery

When choosing priority areas for development, Russia’s regions come up with strategies to create a comfortable living environment for people and preserve the high potential of their local culture. Today, creative industries are regarded as tools that can fundamentally change the nature of a local economy by ensuring the diversification and high added value of local products, creating conditions for the self-realization of the population, attracting new human resources, improving infrastructure, and reviving cities, while supporting the principles of sustainable development. Programmes to develop the creative sector in the regions include support for local entrepreneurship, the creation of infrastructure for the enlightenment, education, and self-realization of young talent, and the integration of a local identity into the production of competitive products. The creative sector can become a driving force that will enable the Russian regions to succeed in the race for ideas. What are the main objectives and priorities of the state policy in the development of creative industries and creative entrepreneurship? How can we find a balance between the identity of the creative sector and government regulation? How should a region identify the priority focuses of the creative economy? How can creative industry tools boost regional economies? What are some examples of cultural initiatives that have become a driver for a region’s development?

Moderator:
Alisa Prudnikova — Program Director, GES-2

Panellists:
Igor Drozdov — Chairman of the Board, Skolkovo Foundation
Sargylana Ignatieva — Rector, Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts
Dmitry Mednikov — Managing Director, Russian Media Group
Oleg Rakitov — Director-Coordinator of Social and Cultural Programs, VEB.RF
Zelfira Tregulova — General Director, The State Tretyakov Gallery
Olga Yarilova — Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Andrey Betin — Deputy Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region
Yulia Klimko — Director, Enso Foundation for Cultural Initiatives

In recent years, Russia and India have seen a steady increase in trade turnover. In 2021, Russian-Indian trade amounted to USD 13.5 billion, which is almost 50% higher than in the pandemic year of 2020. The two countries clearly have a colossal pace of development in their trade and economic relations, yet the potential for cooperation has not been fully realized. In particular, in order to reach the goal set by the two countries’ leaders of achieving a mutual trade volume equal to USD 30 billion by 2025, trade and joint projects in addition to investment need to be actively developed. At present, Russia and India are implementing joint projects in various sectors: energy, oil, the military-industrial complex, pharmaceuticals, food, and the chemicals industry. They are also strengthening interbank and insurance cooperation, while the volume of trade and mutual investments in the Far East and the Arctic are gradually increasing. What measures are the governments of the two countries taking to solve transport and logistics problems? Can sea-based transport become a main route? What prospects are there for creating a joint banking and financial entity that is capable of supporting the potential of bilateral trade? What areas of cooperation are top priorities? What new projects with Indian capital are being planned in the Far East?

Moderator:
Ksenia Komissarova — Chief Editor, International media network TV BRICS

Panellists:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Andrey Velikorodny — Shareholder, Crystal Alliance Shipping
Anurag Jain — Secretary Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India (online)
Anton Zaytsev — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sakhalin Region
Pavan Kapoor — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to the Russian Federation
Sanjiv Mehta — President, FICCI; General and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited (online)
Ivan Nosov — Branch Manager, Sberbank in India
Vikram Singh Punia — President, Pharmasyntez Group of Companies (online)
Alexey Repik — Chairman, Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia); Chairman of the Board, Group R-Pharm (online)
Sergey Storchak — Senior Banker, VEB.RF
Somasundaram Subramanian — Founder, General Director, Eurasian Federation of Oncology (EAFO); Chair, Board of Directors, Eurasian Cancer Research Council (ECRC), Mumbai, India
Anna Tsivileva — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kolmar Group
Sergey Cheremin — Minister, Head of the Department of Foreign Economic and International Relations of the City of Moscow, Government of Moscow; Chairman of the Board, Business Council for Cooperation with India (online)

Front row participant:
Alexey Gruzdev — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

How can Far Eastern cities win the competition for human capital by becoming modern, comfortable and attractive destinations for people to live and pursue self-development? Simply solving infrastructural problems in housing and utilities, transport, construction and other areas is not enough to achieve this. Renovations, even major ones, are not going to turn Far Eastern cities into places where people want to live, work, realize their creative potential and raise children. Every city must discover its own image of the future, positioning itself clearly and attractively in the global competition for people. Cities must answer the question of what key value they bring to residents. These answers could be provided by a masterplan, which offers a tool for the integrated development of cities in the long term. The business show will see city officials, public figures, architects and urbanists discuss masterplans for Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Chita in an interactive format, both on stage and via video links. What shared problems do Far Eastern cities face and is there a common solution to them? Where can the areas of growth and development be found? How do the cities of the Far East see themselves in the future and what needs to be done to bring this future closer? Why do cities need masterplans to achieve this?

Moderator:
Victor Shalai — Director, Vladimir K. Arseniev Museum of Far East History

Panellists:
Alexey Demyanov — Head, Municipal Agency for Strategic Planning
Valentina Dymchenko — Founder, "Beautiful Chita" Project
Juliy Prodan — Architect (online)
Elena Frolova — Acting Minister of Planning and Development of Trans-Baikal Territory
Ivan Chaikin — Urbanist; Director, Academy of Social Events (online)
Konstantin Shestakov — Head of the City of Vladivostok

Front row participant:
Igor Shuvalov — Chairman, VEB.RF

The quality of education in the Far East remains a factor in the migration outflow: the proportion of young people who leave to study at universities outside the Far Eastern Federal District is on the rise. The region’s educational and intellectual capital is the cornerstone for the development of a successful economy. Developing education and science in the Far East is crucial today due to the region’s unique natural and climatic conditions that are regularly studied, joint educational programmes with Asia-Pacific universities, as well as the need for innovations and specialists in the new economy of the Far East. What needs to be done to keep young people in the region? How can we improve the quality of education? How should we work with talented young people and ensure the productivity of the ones who might be lagging behind? How can business get involved in improving the quality of education and developing science? What is the current state of educational infrastructure and what is needed to improve it?

Moderator:
Andrey Volkov — Academic Policy Advisor, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Panellists:
Mikhail Degtyarev — Governor of Khabarovsky Territory
Dmitry Konov — Member of the Council, Russian Chemists Union
Boris Korobets — Acting Rector, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Aisen Nikolaev — Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Vladimir Solodov — Governor of Kamchatka Territory
Lyudmila Tekutyeva — General Director, Arnika
Valery Falkov — Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (online)
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic (online)

The global geopolitical changes are shaping a new economic agenda for decades to come. The development of the digital economy, one of the pillars of technological sovereignty, is already playing a key role in this process. Digital finance is a driving force and an indispensable component of cross-border and domestic processes, feeding into all economic flows. The momentum of digital finance is already being felt strongly in the economies of Eurasia and the east as a whole. New laws to regulate digital assets and digital currencies are being rapidly adopted, major projects for the construction of digital infrastructure are being developed, increased attention is being paid to new settlement, payment and investment tools, digital Islamic finance is being actively rolled out, and traditional financial and currency markets are beginning to embrace elements of the world of digital currencies. The creation of a long-term, advanced digital finance architecture requires regulators, businesses and citizens to work in several areas concurrently, including the development of the necessary financial and resource infrastructure, the training of IT personnel, changes to the education system, and the creation of modern and flexible legislation. The growth of decentralized finance around the world is outpacing the relevant legislation. With a variety of developments underway in decentralized finance, from mining and NFTs to decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), regulation and the advancement of digital finances in Russia are still focused on digital financial assets and digital currencies and discussions around the potential of Russian stablecoins. Despite this, the Bank of Russia added the first company, Atomyze, to a new register of operators of digital financial assets in early February 2022. Two more, Sber and Lighthouse (Transmashholding), have since been added and plans to create several more operators have been announced. What is the business model of these operators? What is the potential for development in digital finance in Russia and the Far East in particular? How is the current international situation changing the course of the domestic digital finance market? What do industry players want from regulators? What growth path will the Russian digital financial sector take?

Moderator:
Elena Lazko — Partner, Head of Strategy and Operations, Kept

Panellists:
Mikhail Gordin — Acting Rector, Bauman Moscow State Technical University
Alexey Guznov — Secretary of State – Deputy Chairman, The Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia)
Alexei Moiseev — Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation (online)
Anatoly Popov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Igor Runets — Founder, General Director, BitRiver
Elina Sidorenko — General Director, Platform
Emile Parfait Simb — Chief Executive Officer, SimbGroup SAS
Ekaterina Frolovicheva — General Director, Atomyze
Kim Hyeong-joo — Chairman, Korea Blockchain Industry Promotion Association
Anna Sharipova — Managing Director for National Projects, Russian Technologies State Corporation

Front row participants:
Anatoly Aksakov — Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Financial Markets (online)
Denis Nevzorov — Director of the Department for International Cooperation and Technological Development of the Far East and the Arctic, Ministry of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Aleksey Poroshin — General Director, Center for Regional Economics

The Far East has traditionally specialized in the export of unprocessed wood. However, thanks to the efficient state policy a number of large wood processing complexes have been recently put into operation. Now, the combined processing ability of those facilities exceeds 10 million m3 of wood per year. Given the ban on the export of unprocessed softwood and valuable hardwood from 1 January 2022 in Russia, there is an increase in the production of timber, plywood, pulp, biofuel, and furniture. At the same time, enterprises do not operate at full capacity due to the shortage of raw materials, while wood processors have encountered problems selling their products due to COVID-19 restrictions and sanctions imposed on Russia. In the current economic conditions, how to maintain profitability in the production and sale of wood products? How can we ensure that the established wood processing facilities are fully utilized? How will the digitalization of the forestry help product manufacturers?

Moderator:
Pavel Chashchin — Director, Roslesinforg

Panellists:
Oleg Bocharov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Vasilii Ganchenko — General Director, Group of Companies «VTK»
Vladimir Ivin — Deputy Head, Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Sitnov — Senior Vice President, Sberbank
Viacheslav Spirenkov — Deputy Head, Federal Forestry Agency (online)
Ilya Chernov — Director of the Investment Development Department, Ministry of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic
Aleksey Shilo — Deputy Managing Director, Head, Centre for Corporate Transport Services (CFTO), Russian Railways

Front row participants:
Mariya Avilova — First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Khabarovsk Krai
Dmitrii Dobrynin — Vice President, New Forest Pro (online)
Nikolay Krotov — Deputy General Director, Arkhangelsk PPM (online)
Irina Makanova — Director of the Department of State Policy and Regulation in the Development of Specially Protected Natural Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation
Vadim Moskvichev — Director, Vanino Forestry Center
Konstantin Stepanov — Minister of Forestry and Protection of Wildlife of the Primorsky Krai

Historically, the development of the energy sector in the Far East was challenging due to the significant distances between settlements, geography and climate. Today, part of the macroregion works within the UES of Russia, while another part is made up of non-price market zones, isolated energy systems, and zones of decentralized energy supply. Despite their differences, they have a set of similar problems, among which the key ones are high electricity and heat production costs, the use of non-environmental fuels, and complicated logistics. At the same time, every consumer must be guaranteed a reliable and high-quality energy supply. Renewable energy can be one solution to this problem, since the Far East has considerable potential in this area, although the opportunities and conditions for its development vary from region to region. Which Far Eastern region is the greenest? Which region is the most open to renewable energy sources (RES)? Which regions have the RES potential to provide new opportunities for changing the fuel and energy balance? How can investors be attracted to RES generation projects in the Far East?

Moderator:
Alexey Kulapin — General Director, Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Ministry of Energy of Russia

Panellists:
Artur Alibekov — Chief Executive Officer, EcoEnergy
Roman Berdnikov — First Deputy General Director, Member of the Management Board, RusHydro
Ilya Davidenko — First Deputy Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Region
Alexey Zhikharev — Director, Russia Renewable Energy Development Association; Partner, Vygon Consulting
Aleksey Kaplun — Chief Executive Officer, H2 Clean Energy
Milena Milich — Acting Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development of the Sakhalin Region
Elena Parkhomenko — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Primorsky Territory
Viktor Svistunov — Deputy Director General, Technical and Regulatory Development, NovaWind (online)
Vyacheslav Sinyugin — Deputy General Director for Digital Transformation and Energy Project of Zarubezhneft
Pavel Snikkars — Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

The rapid development of the Far East has spurred intensive demand for human resources. The economy has a shortage of skilled workers. Blue-collar jobs are increasingly becoming a conscious choice of the younger generation and a kind of guarantor for a successful start to their career. The federal project ‘Professionality’ will help to build a new, industry-specific model of personnel training that is synchronized with the demands of the Far Eastern labour market, ensure graduates can find jobs, and, as a result, provide a fresh impetus to import substitution. How can we effectively correct the imbalance between the system of secondary vocational education and the demands of employers? How can we get employers involved in active and meaningful cooperation with educational organizations?

Moderator:
Evgeniy Szhenov — Scientific Supervisor, Expert and Analytical Center "Scientific and Educational Policy"

Panellists:
Alexander Bugaev — First Deputy Minister of Enlightenment of the Russian Federation
Natalia Zolotareva — Acting Rector, Institute for the Development of Vocational Education
Mikhail Ivanov — Deputy General Director, Atom Gold
Gennadii Levchenko — Director, Far Eastern Shipbuilding College
Marat Shamyunov — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic

Front row participants:
Vadim Baibak — Managing director, Vostochny Port
Aleksandra Lebedeva — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Kamchatka Territory
Dmitry Paramonov — Commander of the Central Headquarters, All-Russian Youth Public Organization "Russian Student Detachments"
Aleksey Uchenov — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation

The current economic and foreign policy situation around the world has significantly boosted interest in special administrative regions (SAR) among foreign companies with Russian capital. Businesses are looking for ways to protect assets from sanctions and continue to work comfortably. One such tool is a SAR. There has recently been a growing positive trend in the main indicators among SAR participants on Russky Island. More and more companies are looking at Vladivostok as a reference point for developing cooperation with friendly countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2022, requirements were approved for international holding companies to have a presence in the region in order for them to receive tax benefits, the most important of which is investment of RUB 300 million in regional infrastructure. In addition, Russian holding companies can also receive similar benefits if they meet certain conditions. What kind of results have the SAR on Russky Island had over the past year? What impact have SAR had and will have on the region’s development? What additional measures are needed to comfortably return businesses and boost the popularity of SAR? What prospects exist for infrastructural development on Russky Island? Requirements for having a presence in SAR: does this tool need to be fine-tuned, taking into account the specifics of holding companies and regional features? Are Russian holding companies interested in tax incentives in SAR?

Moderator:
Galina Naumenko — Partner, Leader of Energy, Utilities and Mining Tax Practice, Technologies of Trust

Panellists:
Pavel Volkov — State Secretary – Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic
Nikolay Stetsko — Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Primorsky Krai
Andrey Tolmachev — General Director, Kaliningrad Region Development Corporation
Ilya Torosov — First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Pavel Sheika — Director of Department for Special Administrative Region Support, Far East and Arctic Development Corporation