An expert roundtable was held in Moscow on the topic of ‘Socioeconomic Development in the Arctic’ on January 16, 2017. The roundtable launched a series of events in the run-up to the "Arctic: Territory of Dialogue" International Arctic Forum, which will take place in Arkhangelsk March 29–30, 2017.
Participants included:
- Alexander Tsybulskiy, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
- Alexey Besprozvannykh, Director of the Department for Regional Industrial Policy of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
- Elena Bezdenezhnykh, Vice President, State Secretary, and Head of Government Relations, Norilsk Nickel
- Ildar Neverov, member of the General Council of the All-Russia Public Organization Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia)
The topics of implementing state and business projects in the Arctic region, creating an Arctic freight traffic flow, upholding international environmental standards for natural resource use, and bringing young people into the discussion of the Arctic agenda were discussed at the roundtable. The question of creating industrial clusters in the Arctic zone also drew a lot of attention at the event. Additionally, participants discussed the interests of big business in the Arctic region, as well as the support for the activities of small and medium-sized businesses, the successful performance of which will kick-start development of the region.
The "Arctic: Territory of Dialogue" International Arctic Forum provides one of the key platforms for discussing the problems and prospects of the Arctic region at the global level. The event is held with direct support from the Government of the Russian Federation, and is designed to bring the global community together in the interests of securing the effective development of the Arctic and improving the lives of Arctic residents. The first "Arctic: Territory of Dialogue" International Arctic Forum was held in 2010, and was devoted to the contemporary problems facing the Arctic region. The second Forum was held in 2011 and tackled the issue of creating an Arctic transport system. In 2013, the event was dedicated to environmental protection. The key theme of the ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’ 4th International Arctic Forum will be ‘People and the Arctic’. It is expected that more than 1,000 people from Russia and abroad will attend the Forum.