The senator told the Council of Legislators Commission about Russian regions developing foreign economic ties.
The Russian regions are active in establishing interaction with partners from friendly countries. In 2024, constituent entities of the Russian Federation signed over 100 agreements on friendly ties with foreign partners, or 40 percent more than in 2023.
Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin said this in his remarks at a meeting of the Council of Legislators’ Commission on International Cooperation.
He noted that the Russian Federation leaders had tasked legislators with promoting Russian economic interests and achieving concrete results. “Assisting this work by parliamentary methods is of special importance. As the chamber of the regions, the Federation Council focuses on establishing inter-regional collaboration with Global Majority countries.”
Grigory Karasin described the Federation Council’s international and inter-parliamentary activities in this regard, specifically those by its Committee on Foreign Affairs and numerous Friendship Groups for contacts with fellow parliamentarians in foreign countries.
Referring to cooperation with regions in African countries, the senator stated that the current increase in trade and economic ties between Russian regions and their businesses with African states was largely based on exporting industrial products and mineral resources. “In the meantime, it is a task of current importance to ensure Russia’s permanent corporate presence in these states and the establishment of joint ventures or subsidiaries.”
The senator believes that it is necessary to have a direct dialogue not only between regions but also municipalities. “All the necessary legal prerequisites have been created for this purpose. Nearly 50 Russian regions have approved laws enabling local governments to pursue international and foreign economic ties.”
According to the legislator, it is necessary to develop twin-city ties with regions and municipal entities in friendly states, put business people on Russian, including regional, delegations sent to Global Majority countries, and legalise understandings by signing agreements and contracts. While stressing the importance of this work, Grigory Karasin announced a cycle of training events for related regional executive authorities to be held jointly with the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
“The Russian regions should expand their foreign economic ties in strictly obeying the principle of unity of Russia’s foreign policy and with the coordinating role of the Foreign Ministry, as decreed by the relevant Presidential Executive Order. The Economic Development Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade are making an important contribution to this effort,” he said.
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The Council of Legislators under the Federation Council held events in the Taurida Palace in St Petersburg on 27–28 April.
Chairs of the related Federation Council committees and RF senators took part in the work of the Council of Legislators commissions on social policy issues; on legislative support for national security and anti-corruption; on coordinating lawmaking activities and monitoring legislation; on agricultural and food policy, management of natural resources and environment; on economic and industrial policy issues; on information policy, information technologies and investment.
The senators also attended the ceremony of signing cooperation agreements between legislatures of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.