International industrial cooperation during the time of change. Through challenges to new opportunities

Organizer: Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Venue: the city of Kazan, IEC KAZAN EXPO, Hall 15

Time: 18.05.2023, 10:00-11:20

Moderator: Suvorovskaya Maria Sergeevna, Vice President of the Russian-Turkish Dialogue Association, General Director of Business Dialog Media, Editor-in-Chief of the Russian Business Guide

Speakers:

Chekushov Roman Andreevich, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Licensing in the Sphere of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation;

Nuriddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Trade of Afghanistan;

Solodov Aleksey Viktorovich, Vice President of Russian Export Center, AO;

Dunaev Nikolai Ilgizarovich, Vice President, OPORA RUSSIA;

Yusuf Karakash, Director of the Department for International Trade in Services of the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey;

Gashigullin Aidar Ayupovich, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Turkey;

Gizzatullin Airat Mansurovich, General Director of Technopolis “Khimgrad”, AO, innovative industrial park - Technopark in the field of high technology;

Terekhin Andrey Nikolaevich, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the United Arab Emirates;

Busev Aleksey Sergeevich, Director of the Russian-Emirates Business Council;

Keith Cheik, Ambassador of WUSME, the World Union of Small and Medium Enterprises, the organization promoting S&M enterprises development in the world, Founding President of the Pan African Digital Observatory of Development, Founding President of O.B.A. (Open Business in Africa);

Krasnov Dmitry Ivanovich, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Chuvash Republic, Minister of Economic Development and Property Relations of the Chuvash Republic;

Anna Nikolaevna Lavrentyeva, Senior Vice President of NOVIKOMBANK, AO.

The changed geopolitical situation has led to a global restructuring of not only cooperation and logistics chains, but also prompted a rethinking of international economic models and a reorientation of business ties of the Russian Federation towards friendly states.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and the Russian Export Center (REC) have done a lot of work to optimize the mechanisms for supporting Russian foreign trade activities for the implementation of international projects.

Roman Chekushov, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Licensing in the Field of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, opening the session, mentioned: “The Russian Government is helping domestic companies to redirect commodity flows. Thus, we are developing logistics routes, among all I mean the North-South ITC (International Transportation Corridor), an agreement on the construction of a section of which was recently signed with Iran. In addition, financial support measures are now very important, because infrastructure solutions alone do not always help companies achieve maximum competitiveness in the markets. We are solving this problem, among all, within the framework of the national project “International Cooperation and Export” together with the Russian Export Center”.

Nuriddin Azizi, the Minister of Industry and Trade of Afghanistan expressed his gratitude to the authorities of Tatarstan for the invitation and organization of the Forum. Afghanistan is living under economic pressure, but there is a positive trend: for the first time the budget will be financed from domestic revenues. The development of the industrial sector is considered one of the basic steps to strengthen the economy and increase the income of the population. Afghanistan is striving to become an industrial state again and is ready to provide all opportunities for cooperation to business representatives from the Russian Federation.

Aleksey Solodov, Vice President of the Russian Export Center, noted that due to the measures developed by the REC to adapt export support programs, including the new line of services for exporters, systematic increase in the level of trade with friendly countries has been observed over the past 1.5-2 years. Financial support is provided to manufacturers, including preferential bank financing and preferential insurance services. “Together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, we are implementing a number of measures to support export, herewith, the most popular type is compensation for the costs of transporting industrial products,” said Aleksey Viktorovich. Now, together with my colleagues from the Ministry of Industry and Trade we are reforming this model in several stages. Last year, the program began its operation along a compensation model, and now we are restructuring it in terms of logistics corridors, so that the companies exporting their products along optimal logistics routes could receive maximum support.”

Nikolai Dunaev, Vice President of OPORA RUSSIA, noted that they initiate many business missions to friendly countries, which open up new export opportunities for SMEs.

Yusuf Karakash, the Director of the Department for International Trade in Services of the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey, spoke about the cooperation between Russia and Turkey. Russia is Turkey's largest trading partner. Despite pressure from the West, Russia has become the leader in exports to Turkey; volume of trade with Turkey in 2022 increased by 84%.

Aidar Gashigullin, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Turkey highlighted the trends in trade process and industrial cooperation between Russia and Turkey.

Airat Gizzatullin, General Director of Technopolis “Khimgrad”, noted the attractiveness of the Central Asian market, in particular, Uzbekistan. The Republic of Tatarstan is actively developing cooperation with Uzbekistan. In March 2022, the first joint industrial park was opened in the city of Chirchik, Tashkent region. Today, it is already implementing 20 investment projects with an investment volume of USD 127 million. Export of products to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan is also carried out. The chemical-industrial Technopark “Jizzakh” has been opened in April 2023.

Andrey Terekhin, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the UAE, emphasized that today a new chapter has been launched in trade relations between Russia and the countries of the Persian Gulf, in particular with the UAE.

Aleksey Busev, Director of the Russian-Emirates Business Council (REBC) presented the opportunities granted to Russian companies by the Eurasian Commercial and Industrial Hub, created on the initiative of REBC and Abu Dhabi Ports.

Keith Cheik, WUSME Ambassador spoke about the prospective development of cooperation with African countries.

Dmitry Krasnov, Minister of Economic Development and Property Relations of the Chuvash Republic, noted that measures were developed in the Republic to assist businesses in logistics and search for new partners. Now Chuvashia is actively exporting goods to Kazakhstan, Belarus, China and Uzbekistan.

Anna Lavrentyeva, Senior Vice President of Novikombank, spoke about the support grunted to the industrial enterprises manufacturing high-tech products, including foreign economic activity of the bank's partners and clients. In addition to federal measures, together with Rostec, the Bank has developed and is implementing its own preferential programs to support high-tech exporting enterprises.