Orenburg forum will point the way to the East
At the end of November Orenburg will once again become the centre of Eurasia, will host the next international forum. The participants will discuss prospects of development of the region in light of the turn of the Russian foreign policy in the East. The geopolitical position of the region makes it a center of new macro-regional projects, experts say.
This year the city will host the sixth international forum “Orenburg region — the heart of Eurasia”, which will be held November 24-25. This time it is expected an impressive representation of participants from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries. The Eurasian prospects and investment attractiveness of the region will discuss prominent politicians, entrepreneurs and scientists. In particular, the forum plan to participate in the head of the region Yuri Berg, head of Rospatent Grigory Ivliev, Vice-President of the CCI of the Russian Federation Vladimir Padalko, as well as representatives of the Ministry, Rosstandart, SKOLKOVO, Agency for strategic initiatives, state Duma deputies and prominent businessmen.
Business program concerns the application of modern tools of development and harmonization of technical regulations of Eurasian countries and health. Along with the work of more than a dozen sessions will take place photo-exhibition “the Best places of Eurasia”, the exhibition “Great silk road”, the presentation of the projects, awarding the winners of “Business class” and other activities.
A separate item on the agenda is discussion of the potential of international cooperation in the Eurasian space. This relates primarily to support export-oriented enterprises. It should be noted that the Orenburg region is rich in demand on the East minerals (non-ferrous metals, potassium salts, etc.), creation of competitive engineering products and is ready to increase export of services (tourism, logistics, etc.).
The participants of the forum are to pay attention to prospects of development of regional cooperation in the light of the increasing interest of Russia to its Eastern neighbours. In the context of Eurasian integration, the region is becoming one of the key points of the joint interests of the Russian regions, Kazakhstan and Central Asian countries. In the nearest plans of Orenburg is a place of the implementation of the new transport and logistics projects and create objects of border infrastructure.
“”Golden gate to Asia” — so the spirit of the times characterized the founders once our region. Today we say “Orenburg region — the heart of Eurasia” and strive to become one of the centers of Eurasian integration. It is our long-term development strategy, — noted the Governor of the Orenburg region Yury Berg. Here in the border region, we feel a growing interest in the unification of the economies in the format of the EEU, as a logical development. We see this potential and are confidently moving in a given direction. At the same time trying to maximize the advantages of enterprises to implement joint projects in their territories. One of them will be passing through the territory of the international road transport route Western Europe — Western China. The arrival of the TRANS-Eurasian railway opens Orenburg prospects in the form of new business projects, more jobs, expand trade and economic ties between the regions, increased population mobility, technology and many other things”.
Macro-regional cooperation will be an important trigger of Eurasian integration, said a senior researcher of the Institute of Europe RAS Denis Zelikson.
“The European Union cooperation within the individual geographic areas of focus. Today, there are development strategies of the Baltic, Danube, Adriatic-Ionian and Alpine macro-regions. The participants of the macro-regional partnerships can work together to solve common problems, to strengthen economic and social ties, which ultimately has benefits not only for the macroregion, but also integration”, he said.
Orenburg oblast has a positive trend in the investment climate and can become the center of attraction of new investment projects, as evidenced by the results of the National rating of investment climate in subjects of the Russian Federation. Thus, the region has risen in the ranking by 11 places, becoming 42 investment appeal region of Russia. And it’s only a year after the start of the active program to improve the investment climate.
“Over the years done a lot of work: developed a road map to improve the investment attractiveness of the region, active four working groups in charge of implementation of the road map in their areas. At the beginning of the year was held the first regional conference to improve the investment climate in the region, which was attended by about a thousand people — representatives of the business community, public associations of businessmen, experts, scientists. People showed genuine interest in the course of the discussion panel were discussed the practical questions. The dialogue was informative and useful, both for business and for government” — sums up the Vice-Governor of the Orenburg region Natalia Levinson.
Varvara Fedorova