The Federation Council Deputy Speaker sent welcoming remarks to the participants of the ninth International Forum “Russia in the 21st century: Global challenges and development prospects.”
The ninth International Forum “Russia in the 21st century: Global challenges and development prospects” is held in Moscow under the auspices of the Integration Club under the Federation Council Speaker.
Federation Council Deputy Speaker Iliyas Umakhanov sent video remarks to the forum participants.
According to Iliyas Umakhanov, the coronavirus pandemic has become the most difficult global challenge of the decade.
“But any crisis means both threats and opportunities. For example, the pandemic caused a number of restrictions on the activities of several industries, but encouraged the introduction of digital technologies, e-commerce, and remote education. In this regard, the authorities’ task to minimise the threats and make use of the opportunities and the role of the scientific community is to help find the best system solutions. Therefore, the plenary session’s theme, “A new strategy for an innovative and technological breakthrough and the future model of Russia’s economic growth in the context of sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic” reflects the current and necessary agenda today,” said the Federation Council deputy speaker.
Mr Umakhanov also noted that some of Russia’s partners in the Eurasian Economic Union found themselves in a “zone of political turbulence” characterised by an exacerbation of internal political processes and local ethnic and political conflicts.
“Nevertheless, we feel optimistic about the future and I am confident that one of the key forum sections, Eurasian Integration in the Context of Global Instability, will help bring about a better understanding of what is happening and develop practical recommendations in this area.”
“For the Federation Council, a regional chamber, the problem of regional development is of high importance. Improving the effectiveness of state regional policy, developing viable strategies for the development of regions and macro regions, pairing the development vectors of the border regions of the EAEU, CIS and Greater Eurasia member countries are important for the upper chamber of the Russian Parliament and federal and regional authorities. In this sense, we expect interesting ideas and suggestions from the work of the section “Regional problems of the economy’s spatial development.”
Iliyas Umakhanov noted that the scientific potential of the forum’s organiser, the Market Economy Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), was highly relevant.“We try to use the institute’s innovations in the operation of scientific and expert agencies under the Federation Council Speaker and in our law-making activities,” Iliyas Umakhanov stressed.
RAS academicians Robert Nigmatulin and Viktor Polterovich, RAS corresponding member Albert Bakhtizin, Georgy Kleiner, Valery Chichkanov and other leading Russian scientists presented scientific reports in the plenary session. Scientists from CIS countries are taking part in the event via videoconference. The forum continued in the format of breakout sessions. The forum materials will be included in the Integration Club’s Annual Report.