View of Vladivostok, Russia Photo: Courtesy of the Roscongress

One of the topics of discussion at a recent meeting of the Far Eastern Federal District Council chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev was the preparations for the Eastern Economic Forum 2024. The event was attended by heads of regions and representatives of federal ministries and departments. 

The Eastern Economic Forum will take place in Vladivostok on September 3-6. The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.  

Yury Trutnev opened the meeting, “There are three weeks left until the Forum. We are almost good to go. The plan here is to make sure we are on the same page, gauge the readiness of the Forum’s marquee events, and discuss how prepared the city of Vladivostok and the Eastern Federal University are to host the Forum. I would like to reiterate that the Eastern Economic Forum is, first and foremost, a tool for solving the problems facing the macro-region. I would ask you to approach this meeting with this in mind, and use the upcoming sessions as effectively as possible.” 

The meeting participants discussed the development of business, cultural and sports programs, as well as the preparations of the Primorsky Territory infrastructure for the Eastern Economic Forum. 

“Preparations for the Eastern Economic Forum are moving along as planned. We are seeing growing interest in the Forum on the part of foreign government and business structures. I am confident that the event will be held at the usual high level and allow us to develop new partnership mechanisms that will contribute to the further economic development of the Russian Far East and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole,” noted Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the Eastern Economic Forum Organizing Committee Anton Kobyakov. 

The architecture of the Forum’s business program has already been published. The theme of this year’s edition is “Far East 2030. Combining Strengths to Create New Potential”. The business events are divided into seven thematic blocks: “New Contours of International Cooperation,” “Technologies to Ensure Independence,” “Financial Value System,” “The Russian Far East,” “People, Education, and Patriotism,” “Transport and Logistics: New Routes,” and “Master Plans: From Architecture to Economy.” The Forum program also includes business dialogues between Russian entrepreneurs and partners from China, India, and the ASEAN countries. 

“One of the main topics of the upcoming Eastern Economic Forum is technology. Innovation, technological sovereignty, and competitiveness in a world increasingly dependent on technology are the subject of constant attention of the President and the Government. At the Eastern Economic Forum, we will discuss the scientific and technological agenda and new mechanisms designed to accelerate the development of this sphere. Special attention at this year’s event will be paid to staff training and educational development. Other areas of focus include the implementation of master plans for Far Eastern cities and the involvement of investors in this process, the development of transport and logistics, energy, the improvement of state support mechanisms for investment projects, and the introduction of new instruments.”

“We expect to sign agreements at the Forum with Russian and foreign investors on new large-scale projects in the Russian Far East, and to launch new enterprises,” said Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East Aleksey Chekunkov.

Following the key sessions of the Forum, the moderators will report to the President of the Russian Federation on the work done in the Russian Far East in recent years. They will also set out possible guidelines for the further development of the macro-region. Proposals made during the meeting concerned the implementation of master plans, the creation of a new program for the development of the energy sector in the Russian Far East, logistical and technological issues, promising sectors of the economy for the Far Eastern Federal District, and other issues.   
 
“The most important event at the Forum is the moderators’ report to the President of Russia, which will focus on strategic areas. The report will include tasks and proposals which, if implemented, will determine the development of the Russian Far East,” Yury Trutnev explained. 

Governor of Primorsky Territory Oleg Kozhemyako talked about how the region, and Vladivostok in particular, had been readying for the Forum, including the transport and engineering infrastructure, city improvements, and ensuring road safety.  

Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) Rector Boris Korobets talked about the preparations being made on campus for the event. Some 650 volunteers have been recruited to ensure the smooth operation of the Forum. FEFU’s preparations for holding the event are moving along as planned. Korobets further noted that, on the instructions of Yury Trutnev, the university would hold a lecture for Primorsky Territory students and youth in conjunction with the Russian society “Znanie” – the third year in a row that such an event has been organized. A total of 350 students and gifted schoolchildren will attend the event, with a further 8.5 million people expected to tune in online. 

Sports and cultural programs were also discussed at the meeting. The plan is to hold 15 events in ten different sports, including international competitions with the participation of the captains of Russian national teams, exhibition matches and tournaments for Forum participants, and sports and educational events for young people.  

The cultural program that has been organized for Forum participants, residents and guests of the city includes a performance by Denis Matsuev on the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre on 5 September, and a concert on Fighters of the Revolution Square on 6 September. That same day, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and orchestral musicians and artists of the choir of the Shenyang Conservatory of Music of Liaoning Province (China) will put on a joint concert in the Great Hall of the Primorsky Region Philharmonic. 

Another issue discussed at the meeting was the organization of the “Welcome to the Far East” exhibition in the main building of Far Eastern Federal University. Eight federal ministries and departments will take part in the event, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation, the Federal Service for Labour and Employment (Rostrud), the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), and others. For example, the Ministry of Trade of the Russian Federation will put on a large-scale exhibition of the new projects and achievements of over one hundred industrial enterprises. And the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation is organizing a permanent Far Eastern regional student media center. 

The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation is sponsoring the Urban Hub area, which is aimed at ensuring the more efficient operation of construction companies in the Far East under preferential conditions. The Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic has also organized an exhibition. Finally, the Roscongress Foundation has teamed up with the Federal Agency for Fishery to open Russian Fish House. 

Per tradition, the Far East Street exhibition will showcase the achievements of the Far Eastern Federal District’s regions. The regions are busy updating their pavilions and exhibits to reflect their emerging technological leadership and their activities to support the participants in Russia’s special military operation. Special attention will be given to the “Far East – Land of Adventures” national travel competition.

Alongside the regional showcases, the Far East Street exhibition will feature business and sports pavilions hosted by the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation, while the Ministry of Natural Resources is organizing the Falcon House space. The Tourism.RF corporation will also take part in the exhibition. The central area of the exhibition will be taken up by a Regions Market / Regions Cuisine organized by the Government of Primorsky Territory.  

The Far East and Arctic Development Corporation plans to host an expanded exhibit at the event. Like last year, it will feature a Developing the Russian Far East pavilion, with a new area showcasing the products of the Far Eastern Hectare and the production facilities of the residents of the advanced development territories.  

“We are committed to holding the Forum at the same high level as always, showcasing the results of regional development, attracting new investments, and jointly developing new solutions that will give additional impetus to the development of the Russian Far East,” Yury Trutnev concluded.

The Roscongress Foundation is a socially oriented non-financial development institution and a major organizer of nationwide and international conventions; exhibitions; and business, public, youth, sporting, and cultural events. It was established in pursuance of a decision by the President of the Russian Federation.

The Foundation was established in 2007 with the aim of facilitating the development of Russia’s economic potential, promoting its national interests, and strengthening the country’s image. One of the roles of the Foundation is to comprehensively evaluate, analyze, and cover issues on the Russian and global economic agendas. It also offers administrative services, provides promotional support for business projects and attracting investment, helps foster social entrepreneurship and charitable initiatives.

Each year, the Foundation’s events draw participants from 209 countries and territories, with more than 15,000 media representatives working on-site at Roscongress’ various venues. The Foundation benefits from analytical and professional expertise provided by 5,000 people working in Russia and abroad. 

The Foundation works alongside various UN departments and other international organizations, and is building multi-format cooperation with 212 economic partners, including industrialists’ and entrepreneurs’ unions, financial, trade, and business associations from 86 countries worldwide, and 293 Russian public organizations, federal and regional executive and legislative bodies of the Russian Federation.

The Roscongress Foundation has Telegram channels in Russian t.me/Roscongress, English – t.me/RoscongressDirect, Spanish – t.me/RoscongressEsp and Arabic t.me/RosCongressArabic. Official website and Information and Analytical System of the Roscongress Foundation: roscongress.org.