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President of the Chamber Sergei Katyrin Makes a Working Trip to the Chechen Republic20.09.2023On September 20, a delegation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation headed by its President Sergei Katyrin is on a working trip to the Chechen Republic. A meeting is planned with Chairman of the Government Muslim Khuchiev, Deputy Chairman of the Government, Minister of Finance Sulman Tagaev and Minister of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade Rustam Shaptukaev. The parties will discuss, in particular, issues on the development of joint interaction, on holding the Islamic Economic Forum in the region with the participation of representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, and the State Duma. A trilateral cooperation agreement will also be signed between the Government of the Republic, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Chechen Republic. Sergey Katyrin will take part in a joint meeting of the associations of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Southern Federal District and the North Caucasus Federal District, at which they will discuss the development of the branch network of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, diversification of services to business through the organization of interaction between the chambers and partnerships with authorities. Press Service of the Chamber
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The Session of Russian-Georgian Business Council in Vladikavkaz19.09.2023On September 19, Vice-President of the Chamber Vladimir Padalko moderated a visiting meeting of the Russian-Georgian Business Council (RGBC), held with the support of the Chamber of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in Vladikavkaz. The meeting participants, among whom were members of the Russian Georgian Business Council, representatives of companies from Georgia and Ossetia, as well as ministries and departments of federal and republican significance, got acquainted with the work of the infrastructure of the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint and very positively assessed its capabilities after reconstruction. At the meeting, a wide range of issues of the transport and logistics component in Russian-Georgian relations were discussed, including the importance of the services of insurance brokers and lawyers, the transit of goods through the territory of Georgia, as well as the need to unblock maritime passenger and cargo traffic between Russia and Georgia. The parties’ steps to resume railway communication through the territory of Abkhazia were also recognized as important. The participants discussed projects in the field of infrastructure and logistics, including such a megaproject as the construction of the Caucasus Pass Railway. The project was presented by the Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Ingushetia, Vladimir Slastenin. There was also a meeting between Vladimir Padalko and the Chairman of the Government of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Boris Dzhanaev. The Russian-Georgian Business Council under the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was created on February 6, 2023. Yuri Balashov was elected its chairman. Since then, 3 meetings and 2 business missions have been held. Department of External Relations
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In Ingushetia Sergey Katyrin Met the Head of the Republic Mahmud-Ali Kalimatov19.09.2023On September 19, during a working visit to Ingushetia, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergei Katyrin met in Magas with the head of the Republic, Mahmud-Ali Kalimatov. The parties discussed the economic potential of the republic, prospects for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, mutual cooperation between the region and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Among other things, the issue of allocation by the authorities of the republic of a land plot for the construction of a building for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Ingushetia was raised. “In general, there is a positive development trend. Now Ingushetia is set to integrate deep into Russia, and the sooner this happens, the better it will be for all interested parties. You actively interact with the regions, successfully implement various projects, and your support is also very important to us. Thank you very much, this is very serious for us,” said the head of Ingushetia.Sergei Katyrin noted that the republic is gaining momentum in the process of socio-economic development. This dynamics increases the investment potential of the region. “Today we had the opportunity to see this personally, we saw everything with our own eyes. In addition, you and your team were able to return a major investor to the republic, and this indicates that they have serious trust in you. Having visited a number of sites, we were convinced that this is truly a dynamically developing region. This is, first of all, the merit of you and your team. We supported you and will continue to do so,” said Sergei Katyrin. The head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry also noted the effective work of the regional chamber, headed by Radmila Nalgieva. “The number of members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Ingushetia has increased significantly, our common projects are being implemented and our own initiatives are being introduced. We liked the idea of the children's project “My Family Business,” in which children talk about the entrepreneurial activities of their families. In addition, the Ingush Chamber of Commerce and Industry is actively engaged in a business mission, attracting entrepreneurs from other regions to the republic,” said the President of the RF Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The meeting was also attended by the director of the Department of Regional Development of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ilya Zubkov, the chairman of the Association of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the North Caucasian Federal District, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Stavropol Territory Boris Obolenets, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Ingushetia Radmila Nalgieva. As a result of the meeting, an Agreement on cooperation was concluded between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Republic of Ingushetia and the Union “Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Ingushetia”. The signing ceremony was attended by the federal inspector in the republic, Vitaly Smirnov, who read out an appeal from the plenipotentiary representative of the President of Russia in the North Caucasus Federal District, Yuri Chaika. The delegation of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry took part in the Presentation of the investment potential of the Republic of Ingushetia. Members of the delegation visited the Tower of Concord - the tallest building in Ingushetia with the tallest observation tower in the North Caucasus. The delegation visited the Ali-Yurt industrial zone, where they got acquainted with the activities of the 4BRA garment factory, the Riak aluminum alloy plant, a baby food plant and a workshop for the production of local wastewater treatment facilities. Press Service of the Chamber
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Director of the Chamber's Department of External Relations Alexander Kopkov Met Trade Rep of Dominican Republic15.09.2023The prospects for expanding trade and economic relations, as well as developing ties between the business circles of Russia and the Dominican Republic, were discussed on September 14 at a meeting of the Director of the Chamber’s Department of External Relations, Alexander Kopkov, with the Trade Counselor of the Embassy of this Central American country in Moscow, Nelson Ortega. “The pandemic years have taught us that without personal contacts between entrepreneurs, especially during exhibitions, it is difficult to conduct business effectively. I urge your companies to participate more often in our congress and exhibition events, in particular at Expocentre,” noted Alexander Kopkov. Nelson Ortega emphasized that companies from the Dominican Republic are interested in exporting goods to the Russian Federation. “Our large business - exporters of cigars, rum, fruits, despite the Western sanctions policy towards Russia, do not lose interest in the Russian market. We would like to ask for support from the Chamber to enter your small and medium-sized business market,” said the counselor at the Dominican Republic Embassy. Alexander Kopkov supported the initiative of his Latin American colleague and explained that Dominican business can count on the support of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.“In connection with changes in the foreign economic situation, favorable conditions are currently being formed on the Russian market, which Dominican exporters can take advantage of to increase the volume of goods imported to the Russian Federation and expand their range. At the same time, additional opportunities are opening up to expand cooperation with Russian regions. Our regional chambers are called upon to contribute to this,” noted Alexander Kopkov. According to him, the development of business relations between our countries is currently hampered by problems related to logistics and finance. The resumption of direct flights to the Dominican Republic, as well as resolving the issue of using bank cards of the MIR payment system, could make a great contribution to increasing the level of business activity between entrepreneurs in our countries. Press Service of the Chamber
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Vice President of the Chamber Vladimir Padalko Presented the Activities in BRICS and the EAEU12.09.2023The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, by the will of fate and the Russian state, acts as a moderator and is responsible for the work of the national parts of Russia in the BRICS and SCO Business Council, and together with the RSPP and the EAEU Business Council. This was announced on September 12 by the Vice President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vladimir Padalko, who spoke in Vladivostok before the participants in the meeting of the Eastern Economic Forum section “EAEU and BRICS: role in the formation of a new multipolar world.” According to the Vice President of the Chamber, the content of all three integration associations corresponds to the activities of the RF Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “If the EAEU and BRICS are a pure economy, then the SCO is an organization dealing with regional security issues, and the work is built taking into account this specificity,” he said. “What is the BRICS Business Council?” - Vladimir Padalko wondered. “By decree of the President of the Russian Federation, five large companies were delegated as the main link of Russian participation in this Business Council. It included the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Russian Railways, Vnesheconombank, RDIF (Russian Direct Investment Fund) and Rostec. These five, taking other companies with them, represented the Russian business community in the BRICS Business Council,” said V. Padalko. There are 9 industry groups, which include our experts, said the Vice-President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In accordance with which country is the chairman of the association, we carry out full-fledged work in these industry groups. Russian Railways is responsible for its segment in transport and logistics. Rostec is responsible for industry, Vnesheconombank for currency and finance issues. Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation for small and medium-sized businesses. RDIF is a project. “Of course, with our teams we cannot provide for the interests of the entire Russian business community. Naturally, we invite all industry associations of the Russian Federation and companies with state participation to our working groups,” said the Vice President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Once a year, a set of provisions is compiled that we would like to convey to the leadership of the five, and now 11, states, including those that will join BRICS in 2024. At the BRICS summit, which takes place annually, the head of the national part that chairs the Business Council reports to the leadership of the “five” and reports these proposals so that they are then submitted to national governments for consideration. Starting this year, it is important for us to integrate into the work of the BRICS Business Council those who join our ranks from January 1, 2024. Russia should use its BRICS chairmanship to “immerse” new members into our agenda and explain to them the rules of the game by which we have already been working for 10 years. This will be either a summit or a conference within a summit and there is no need to wait, but to involve and explain, Vladimir Padalko informed. After the creation of the EAEU, much was unclear, but through national ministries of economic development, guidelines were made that later also turned out to be insufficient. Now we have come to order, and it has become easier for us to enter into practice and easier to convey our agenda and our desires to the Eurasian Economic Commission. Of course, Vladimir Padalko admitted, there are difficulties in how to explain to BRICS members some of the features of the EAEU, for example, in the field of customs rules. Our main task is to ensure that our partners understand what we are striving for and where we are moving. We see this as the main goal of the Chamber’s work in the year of the Russian presidency of BRICS, and of all business associations, Vladimir Padalko said in conclusion. The discussion was also attended by Sammy Kotwani - President, Indian Business Alliance (IBA), Dmitry Krutoy - Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation, Mikhail Myasnikovich - Chairman of the Board, Eurasian Economic Commission, Alexey Overchuk - Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Pavlov - First Deputy General Director, Russian Railways OJSC, Anil Suklal - Sherpa of the Republic of South Africa in BRICS, Sergey Storchak - Senior Banker, VEB.RF, He Zhenwei - Chairman, Chinese Association for the Development of Overseas Enterprises. The discussion was moderated by Ksenia Komissarova, Editor-in-Chief of the International Media Network TV BRICS. Press Service of the Chamber
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A Meeting of the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Far Eastern Federal District in Vladivostok12.09.2023On September 12, 2023, a meeting of the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Far Eastern Federal District was held at the Eastern Economic Forum. The meeting was chaired by the President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergei Katyrin. The work of the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Far Eastern Federal District was attended by the Director of the Department of Regional Development of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Ilya Zubkov, the President of the FESCO Transport Group Arkady Korostelev, who delivered a welcoming speech, and the Managing Director of the Vladivostok Sea Trade Port Nikolay Ermolaev. Assessing the activities of the Chambers of the Far Eastern Federal District in the first half of 2023, Sergei Katyrin noted positive dynamics in the provision of services and attracting member organizations. The growth of the total volume of services compared to the same period in 2022 was 16.7%, the growth of the membership base was 10%. Work continues on the development of regional legislation on chambers of commerce and industry. Thus, in 2023, the law “On the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Amur Region” was adopted; this law became the seventh regional law on the Chamber of Commerce and Industry adopted in the Far Eastern Federal District, along with the Primorsky Territory, the Sakhalin Region, the Kamchatka Territory, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Jewish autonomous region, Trans-Baikal Territory. Speaking about the goals and objectives facing the system of chambers of commerce and industry, Sergei Katyrin drew the attention of the meeting participants to a number of instructions from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin following the results of the XXVI St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, aimed, in particular, at the development of tourism infrastructure, vocational education, small and medium-sized businesses. Noting the importance of the expert activities of the Chamber system both for the chambers of commerce and industry themselves and for Russian entrepreneurs and the 100th anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry expertise, celebrated in 2023, Sergey Katyrin emphasized the importance of developing expert activities, diversifying the chambers’ portfolio of expert services, as well as standardization systems “ CCI Expert" and "Inspectsert". Expanding the geographic presence of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the region through the development of a network of branches/representative offices is one of the priorities in the work of the district chambers. “It is important not only to maintain the functioning of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a high level in one point - the regional center, but also to develop the activities of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry throughout the region. This allows us to be closer to businesses that are remote from the regional administrative center,” said Sergei Katyrin. With regard to work in the Euro-Asian Economic Union, Sergei Katyrin noted the Chamber’s participation in the implementation of a special program for financing industrial cooperation from the EAEU budget. Support for cooperation in the EAEU will be carried out collectively with the participation of representatives of the chambers of all five countries of the Union, he said. In addition, Sergey Katyrin drew the attention of the heads of the Chambers of the Far Eastern Federal District to the need to develop the activities of public organizations at the chambers, regularly hold meetings with authorities on topical issues of business support, as well as the importance of meaningful participation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the implementation of the regional investment standard and personnel training for business. President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Primorsky Territory, President of the Association of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Far Eastern Federal District Boris Stupnitsky, in his speech, touched upon the topic of the formation and implementation of the “Eastern Vector” policy by the system of chambers of commerce and industry in the Russian Federation: ““Turning to the East” is not just a nationwide trend, it is serious actions to building a new export eastern-oriented structure, including the transfer of vacant logistics capacities, human resources for servicing foreign trade activities, this is the adaptation of government measures to support exports, taking into account the country specifics of potential importers of Russian products, measures for the reconstruction of port and railway infrastructure.” The period 2022–2023 has seen major changes. The cargo flow turned from west to east, and Primorye acted as the main connecting link in this process. Speaking about the work of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Primorsky Territory, Boris Stupnitsky noted the restoration and development of information exchange between China and Primorye, the development of congress and exhibition activities, and the holding, at the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Primorsky Territory, of the “Days of the Primorsky Territory” within the framework of the 32nd Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair. “Over the past two years, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Primorsky Kray has significantly intensified its work in the Vietnamese direction. As a result of the joint activities of the Trade Representation of Vietnam, the FESCO group of companies, and the Primorsky Territory Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a direct sea container line from Vladivostok to the ports of Vietnam was opened,” said Boris Stupnitsky.
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Sergei Katyrin: Russia Has Many to Offer ASEAN11.09.2023ASEAN is a well-established integration association that has significant weight in world trade. This was stated by the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Sergei Katyrin, in his speech at the Russia-ASEAN business dialogue, held in Vladivostok on September 11 at the Eastern Economic Forum. According to Sergei Katyrin, ASEAN is a serious association that is viewed with great interest by many countries seeking to establish a constructive dialogue with the Association. He recalled that ASEAN has existed since 1967, its countries are home to 667 million people and the Association's GDP is $3.6 trillion. Russia has a desire to conduct a constructive dialogue with ASEAN, and we already have real achievements over the past period of interaction, and a road map for the development of cooperation is in place. In 2023, the 5th anniversary of the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership is celebrated, S. Katyrin recalled. “At the same time, Russia accounts for less than 1 percent of the foreign trade turnover of the ASEAN countries, and we and our colleagues in the Association countries would like these figures to change dynamically,” said Sergei Katyrin. Currently, Russia's share in the total trade balance of ASEAN countries is relatively small - 0.8% (compared to China - about 20%, the USA - 11%, or the EU - 8.3%). The head of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized: Russia has something to offer the ASEAN countries and, first of all, these are achievements in the field of digitalization. “We have something to share with colleagues from ASEAN countries, and first of all this is interaction with the population,” he said. Sergei Katyrin recalled that Russia has created a developed system of digital services between citizens and the state. There is a well-functioning system of the Federal Tax Service, we have achieved tangible success in terms of building so-called “smart cities”. In addition to advanced technologies, there are opportunities in a broader sense, in many industries and areas of the economy. “In particular, this concerns food production and agriculture,” said S. Katyrin. The President of the Russian Chamber named the organization of direct flights and the establishment of normal banking services as one of the most important problems in building contacts with ASEAN countries. According to him, Russia is actively moving to trade in national currencies, and last year 40 percent of foreign trade transactions were carried out in rubles. “It is possible to work in national currencies that are not affected by sanctions,” he noted. It is important to build new transport and logistics chains, since sanctions create difficulties when servicing at seaports or when insuring cargo. According to the head of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the North-South transport corridor has great prospects in the very near future. Intercountry business dialogue in Southeast Asia should be intensified, and for this we need platforms like the one we are working on today, Katyrin said. He also recalled that in addition to the Russia-ASEAN Business Council at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a kind of “umbrella structure” for business interaction, 6 more business councils have been created that are actively working. In this regard, the head of the Chamber especially noted cooperation with countries such as Vietnam, with which a free trade agreement was signed. And such an agreement was recently signed with Indonesia, said the President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Sergei Katyrin emphasized the need to develop exhibition activities, which, according to him, are visual and allow one to effectively create business connections with colleagues. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation is promoting the topic of participation in exhibitions and we would like to see more active development of this area, said the President of the Chamber. The discussion was attended by Igor Baylen, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Russia; Denis Butsaev, General Director, PPK Russian Ecological Operator, Nikolay Volobuev, Deputy General Director, Rostec State Corporation; Kan Zaw, Minister of Investment and External Economic Relations of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and others. The meeting was moderated by Ivan Polyakov, Chairman of the Russia-ASEAN Business Council. Photo: Victoria Lamzina, Roscongress Foundation
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The Chamber Delegation will Take Part in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok08.09.2023The delegation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation will take part in the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF-2023), which will be held on September 10-13 in Vladivostok. The main theme of the Forum is “Towards cooperation, peace and prosperity”.The Chamber's delegation will be headed by President Sergei Katyrin. He is scheduled to speak on September 11 at the Russia-ASEAN business dialogue, dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the strategic partnership. Also on this day, the head of the federal chamber will moderate the session “International commercial arbitration in modern conditions” and share the experience of the International Commercial Arbitration Court (ICAC) at the RF Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The next day, September 12, the President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will speak at the session “EAEU and BRICS: role in the formation of a new multipolar world.” It is also planned to participate in it: Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich, Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to Russia Dmitry Krutoy, General Director - Chairman of the Board of JSC Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov. Press Service of the Chamber
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President of the Chamber Sergey Katyrin Discussed with Ambassador of Iraq Various Aspects of Bilateral Cooperation08.09.2023President of the Chamber Sergei Katyrin, during a meeting on September 7 with the Ambassador of Iraq to Russia Qahtan Janabi, expressed the readiness of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Russian-Iraqi Business Council to provide comprehensive support to Iraqi business in contacts with the Russian business community. The head of the Iraqi diplomatic mission, for his part, presented an extensive agenda for upcoming bilateral contacts. Including in connection with the upcoming visit to Russia of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The ambassador also announced the holding of the 47th international fair in Baghdad, in which Russian companies could take part. At the same time, it was proposed to hold a specialized exhibition of Russian industry in Iraq. The parties discussed the possibility of holding a meeting of representatives of the business circles of Russia and Iraq at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Sergei Katyrin called on the Iraqis to develop business cooperation with Russian regions that are interested in foreign markets and have great trade and economic potential. “The range of goods in mutual trade should be expanded so that cooperation is not limited only to the oil and gas complex,” the head of the Chamber emphasized. He also noted that the specialized exhibition Prodexpo, the largest international exhibition of food and beverages in Russia and Eastern Europe, is traditionally of great interest to foreign businesses. It will take place on February 5-8, 2024 at Expocentre. The head of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry invited the Iraqi side to take part in the exhibition and informed about the possibility of organizing a presentation of Iraq during such an exhibition. “This will have a great effect and will lead to serious impact,” emphasized Sergei Katyrin. The trade representative of the Iraqi Embassy in the Russian Federation, Liwa Hammadi Al-Farhani, also spoke at the meeting. Press Service of the Chamber
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"Round Table": "International Cooperation of Russia in the Pharmaceutical Industry and the Production of Medical Equipment"07.09.2023On September 6, at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, with the support of the Russian-Turkish Dialogue Association and the Russian-Azerbaijani Dialogue Association, a round table meeting "Russia's international cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry and the production of medical equipment" was held. Vadim Vinokurov, General Director of Medargo, noted that after the imposition of sanctions, a number of large foreign multinational companies reduced their activity in the Russian pharmaceutical market. “As you know, Roszdravnadzor issued relevant documents, where he spoke about the withdrawal of more than two hundred drugs from the Russian market. This process continues, and it is still difficult to predict where it will stop and whether it will stop at all,” he stressed. According to Vadim Vinokurov, under these conditions, a great responsibility for the state of the Russian pharmaceutical market and providing the population with medicines falls on the domestic pharmaceutical industry. Valery Sergienko, Chairman of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Committee on Entrepreneurship in Healthcare and the Medical Industry, recalled the importance of discussing international cooperation in this area. “First of all, we work for patients, and it doesn’t matter to the patient where the drug comes from, where the equipment comes from, it is important that these drugs are of high quality and affordable, and the equipment allows them to do everything necessary. Therefore, in situations where there are problems with full import substitution, contacts with friendly countries that have what we lack, can provide significant assistance,” the Chairman of the Committee noted. The President of the Russian-Turkish Dialogue Association, Arsen Ayupov, outlined the problem of a shortage of a number of medicines, medical devices and equipment. In his opinion, overcoming this deficit is currently one of the main tasks facing the industry. Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Azerbaijan Ruslan Mirsayapov spoke about the possibilities of Azerbaijan in terms of replacing the supply of pharmaceutical products, which are currently unavailable to Russians, and the Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Kazakhstan Anton Loginov presented data on the state of the pharmaceutical industry in Kazakhstan. The United Arab Emirates and other GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain) can become another area for effective international cooperation in medicine and pharmaceuticals for Russian business. According to Alexei Busev, Executive Director of the Russia-Emirates Business Council, today business partners from the UAE are willing to provide an opportunity for Russian entrepreneurship to maintain business activity on their territory. The moderators were Maria Suvorovskaya, General Director of Business Dialog Media, Editor-in-Chief of the Russian Business Guide, and Vadim Vinokurov, General Director of the pharmaceutical company Medargo. Press Service of the Chamber
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Opportunities for Trade and Business Cooperation with Bangladesh Discussed at the Chamber06.09.2023Current issues on the bilateral agenda in the field of trade, economic and business cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh were discussed on September 6 at a meeting between Director of the Foreign Relations Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Alexander Kopkov and Trade Advisor to the Embassy of the People's Republic of Bangladesh in Moscow Molla Saleheen Shiraj. Welcoming the guest, Alexander Kopkov noted that, despite the decline in bilateral trade, there are ample opportunities for further development of trade and economic ties with Bangladesh. First of all, by intensifying contacts between business circles, especially at the regional level, emphasized the director of the Department of External Relations. According to Alexander Kopkov, in connection with the decision of certain large Western suppliers to stop working on the Russian markets, favorable conditions are currently being formed that Bangladeshi exporters can use to increase the volume of goods imported into the Russian Federation and expand their range (textile products, footwear, agricultural crops , tea, seafood). At the same time, additional opportunities for expanding cooperation with Russian regions are opening up, he noted. “We are ready to help use the strengths of Bangladesh's business in Russia,” A. Kopkov said. The Trade Representative of Bangladesh agreed with this assessment by the Director of the Department and announced the intention of a delegation of business circles from this country to visit Russia to explore opportunities in the field of developing cooperation. Such a visit could take place in November and the delegation would include representatives of businesses that work in the textile industry, he informed. The representative of Bangladesh stressed the high level of intergovernmental cooperation between Russia and this country, an example of which is the launch of a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, built with the assistance of Russian specialists. He also said that agreements were signed between the regional chambers of commerce and industry of St. Petersburg and Dhaka and Vladivostok and the Bangladeshi port of Chittagong. Molla Saleheen Shiraj called the production of medicines in Bangladesh, which could be supplied to Russia, an important area of possible cooperation. He also invited the Russian side to take part in the Dhaka International Trade Fair. The representative of Bangladesh described tourism as "the most important potential area of cooperation" and said that there were opportunities in both ways. “Bangladesh could become a new destination for Russian tourists,” he stressed. "In the regions Russian tourists want to visit new palces". The trade representative called the export of labor from Bangladesh to Russia an important element of cooperation. More than 10 million Bangladeshis work abroad in the construction, shipbuilding and fishing industries, behave law-abidingly and return to their country after earning money, he said. It is important to continue joint work to expand face-to-face contacts between business circles, including on the sidelines of joint congress and exhibition events (exhibitions, business forums, round tables, seminars, etc.), A. Kopkov noted. The parties also discussed logistics and transport problems in trade between Russia and Bangladesh. The meeting was attended by Ilya Nesterov, Deputy Director of the Department of External Relations of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, trade turnover in 2022 decreased by 21.4% compared to 2021 and amounted to USD 2.35 billion under the influence of unfavorable international conditions. The export of Russian goods decreased by 14.8% due to a decrease in the number of supplies of industrial equipment and food and amounted to 1.47 billion US dollars. Imports from Bangladesh, traditionally based on textiles and textile products, decreased by 30.3% and amounted to $0.88 billion. Press Service of the Chamber
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Africa Strives for a Balanced Relationship with Other Countries. What Will Russia Offer?13.01.2023The coming year should be a turning point in the development of Russia's economic relations with African countries. We have good prospects, but we will have to fight for a place under the African sun. We are not alone in appreciating the prospects of this continent. And not only appreciated, but set quite specific goals. At the US-Africa Leaders' Summit, which took place in mid-December, the White House clearly outlined a course to strengthen the position of American business in African markets. So the competition of the world's leading economies for the inclusion of the continent in the orbit of their interests is intensifying. The recently popular thesis is becoming an axiom that Africa will determine the future - and not only of its people, but of the whole world. From the point of view of economic development and the realization of national interests, it becomes a very specific call for the leading world powers to intensify their actions on the continent. Indeed, Africa today is a young, dynamically developing market, a continent that contains up to 30% of the world's mineral reserves, which are critical for the development of modern industry and high technology. According to experts, by 2050, 25% of the world's population will live there, and the volume of the consumer market will be $16 trillion. So the importance of Africa for world trade and investment will only increase in the foreseeable future. Against the backdrop of expert forecasts, the US-Africa summit, in a sense, launched the implementation of the US Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, adopted in August 2022. It just determines the goals of strengthening economic cooperation. Including in very sensitive promising areas - in energy, healthcare, agriculture, finance, infrastructure and communication technologies. In general, the adoption of the strategy and the assessment of the preliminary results of the last summit indicate that the United States is returning to Africa in earnest and for a long time. And they are not going to just hand over their positions to their opponents there. During the business forum, which was attended by representatives of about 300 American and African companies, trade deals totaling $15 billion were concluded. And other countries - China, Turkey, Japan - periodically hold their summits on cooperation with Africa. And Africa itself, in terms of building foreign policy, is no longer the same continent as it was 20 years ago. Despite all the interest in developing foreign trade and attracting foreign investment in the economy, most African countries are striving to build balanced relations with partners. And they want to avoid the negative consequences of major power rivalry. According to Western experts, the current African leaders recall with concern the times of the Cold War, when the confrontation in Africa on the principle of "us or them" in the long run did not contribute to economic integration and building a common market on the continent. Now about the main thing for us. What will Russia offer in response to all these Napoleonic economic plans? Today our trade with Africa is $18 billion. We have something to focus on and draw conclusions, developing strategies. For example, China's trade with African countries is almost 260 billion, the US - just over 60 billion dollars. Of course, we need non-standard and non-sanctioned flexible mechanisms to promote investment and trade with African countries. It is necessary to step up work with African countries on specific projects. Clearly define your competitive advantages in areas in key sectors of the economy. And around them to develop a system of priorities, support measures, promotion. At the same time, you should soberly assess your capabilities, taking into account high market competition. For example, American experts admit that in Africa, American companies cannot compete with Chinese firms in the construction of roads and bridges. They are offered to focus on cooperation in healthcare, financial technologies and renewable energy sources. It is here that the competitive advantages of American companies are valued especially highly. Maybe we should seize the initiative? At the same time, we need to intensify work on building a reliable infrastructure that will help level the existing problems associated with the disruption of transport and logistics chains, settlements on transactions, and restrictions on the access of our products to the markets. African partners should be encouraged to introduce systems of mutual settlements in national currencies and barter transactions. Develop preferential trade regimes, create free economic zones, industrial hubs. It is also important to more actively implement our plans to expand the network of trade representations in Africa, to open trading houses and Russian business support centers. Russian business circles, I know this for sure, are waiting for the concretization of plans and breakthrough decisions that, on the whole, will make it possible to realize the existing potential of trade and economic cooperation. I hope that by the end of next year it will be possible to confidently speak about a new qualitative level in the development of economic relations between our country and African states.
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The President of the Chamber On the Situation of Russian Business after the Departure of Foreign Companies09.01.2023Western sanctions have affected the work of most Russian enterprises, but about 25% of companies that have lost partners abroad have already found new ones. This was stated to RIA Novosti by the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia Sergey Katyrin. “We keep our finger on the pulse of business, first of all, of course, small and medium-sized ones as the most vulnerable. We are conducting a study called the Business Barometer of the Country, dedicated to the problems of entrepreneurs in the face of sanctions,” he said.“It turns out that the sanctions have had a noticeable impact on the work of more than 60% of those surveyed. At the same time, about 25% of companies that have lost partners abroad have found new ones,” the President of the Chamber added.However, nearly a third, he noted, were still looking for them, and they needed help. "For example, the Chamber recently organized a large business mission to Iran, 100 representatives of Russian companies took part in it," Katyrin said.At the same time, he pointed to the need to "accelerate the restructuring of the economy.""We need a monetary policy that takes into account the current realities. It is necessary to expand legislative support for entrepreneurship, help businesses find new foreign trade partners and consumers of our imports, and develop new supply chains," the head of the Chamber concluded.
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Sergey Katyrin Explained why Countries Aspire to BRICS16.11.2022Interest in the BRICS has increased dramatically in recent years. It can be said that a whole line of developing countries has formed, wishing to join this association of states. But how can we explain it? They are attracted by the alternative, said Sergey Katyrin, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, head of the Russian part of the BRICS Business Council, in an interview with the Novye Izvestia newspaper. The association, which today includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, offers all-round cooperation for the free development of its members, as opposed to the dictates of the global political and economic agenda, which is being promoted with increasing difficulty by the United States today with the help of Western-oriented blocs. “Regarding dictatorship, these are not my words, it was written by Newsweek, but it's hard not to agree with such a statement,” Sergey Katyrin specified.According to the head of the Russian part of the organization’s Business Council, the development of comprehensive cooperation within the Russia-India-China “triangle”, which became the prototype of BRICS, was once suggested by Yevgeny Primakov, a politician, scientist who headed the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for ten years. The Chamber actively promotes contacts between entrepreneurs from the BRICS countries, reduces administrative barriers, and implements joint projects, Sergey Katyrin stressed. He said that "the foundation of the organization in 2006, by the way, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, caused, on the one hand, a certain skepticism, and on the other, noticeable dissatisfaction with the United States due to possible competition." "As the authority of the BRICS grows, the US will try to increase pressure on the countries participating in the association in order to maintain the title of the center of world civilization and the world economy that has been appropriated to itself," he said. Many states do not want to fit into such an American "system of behavior", and the BRICS provides such an opportunity, Sergey Katyrin explained. The purpose of creating the association is to promote the stable growth of the economies of the BRICS members, finance projects in the field of infrastructure and the organization as a whole, although the countries included in it have different economic potential, are characterized by a powerful developing economy and important resources for the whole world. The economic systems of the Commonwealth members have a huge impact on the world market, emphasizes the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and cites the following data: the area of the current five countries of the organization is about 30 percent of the entire land mass, almost half of the world's population lives in them. In terms of GDP, China is the first economy in the world, India is the third, and Russia is the sixth. Many scientists and politicians today call BRICS a "new force" and sometimes even compare it with NATO or the UN. “This is fundamentally wrong,” explains Sergey Katyrin. - BRICS is not a formal alliance. Our organization has no headquarters, we have nothing to do with military agreements. BRICS does not have a charter and a permanent head, there is an annual rotation rule, when the work is coordinated by the next chair country. Members of the organization also have differences in geopolitical approaches. But this does not prevent work to strengthen economic and trade mechanisms outside the current Western framework. The participating countries observe equality and adhere to the principle of mutual respect. The leaders of the five states meet annually, and two dozen working groups have been created within the organization in various areas - agriculture, transport, energy, etc., they solve the issues raised at the next summit. BRICS has ambitious goals, including counteracting the global economic crisis, improving the quality of life of its population, the transition to high technology in all possible areas of life.Since 2015, the BRICS Development Bank has been operating - a kind of alternative to the IMF with a shareholder capital of $100 billion. The bank, Sergei Katyrin said, finances projects in the states of the association, naturally, and in Russia. Work is underway to create its own payment system BRICS Pay, which can be used in the participating countries. A pool of foreign exchange reserves of one hundred billion dollars has been created for use in unforeseen situations. The organization has a Network University with programs for masters, it works on the basis of universities of the participating countries. The creation of its own independent system of credit ratings is being discussed. This is necessary, if only because many well-known current rating agencies in their assessments are not exempt from political influence, which Russia has repeatedly seen from its own experience, said the President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The most promising solution here, according to Sergey Katyrin, is the creation of an Alliance of BRICS rating agencies, united by a common methodology. This will allow maintaining sovereignty in the regulation of credit ratings in each of the countries of the "five". “Here, in fact, is part of what the BRICS member countries are doing and what, I believe, is very attractive for many developing countries,” Sergey Katyrin noted. Applications for membership in the organization were filed by Argentina and Iran, just a few days ago - Algeria. Active interest in participation in BRICS.
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Dmitry Lyubomudrov: “There is no Dominance in BRICS, Every Project is a Balance”10.11.2022Industrial cooperation and cooperation are not on the agenda of BRICS summits and meetings. But the cooperation of production enterprises on the basis of equality - the main principle of the Association's existence - is extremely necessary and important in the conditions of the formation of new production chains. With these goals, the BRICS Industrial Coalition was created in 2021.On the sidelines of the International Architectural Congress recently held at the WTC Moscow, representatives of the WTC press service spoke with Dmitry Lyubomudrov, co-chairman of the Council of the BRICS Industrial Coalition, CEO of the Design Process Club, member of the Council of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on financial, industrial and investment policy.The BRICS Industrial Coalition was created quite recently, in 2021. For what purposes was it created? Who is in the Coalition today?The BRICS industrial coalition is an association of enterprises to build production chains in the new conditions, when the unipolar world has ended, and new type macro-regions are just being created. A lot of Western equipment supply chains, repair and service contracts, and logistics have been broken. In fact, the entire commercial world is forced to reformat a large percentage. The global division of labor has collapsed. And we can no longer rely on the Western system, including the system of commercial law, arbitration, logistics, insurance, industrial chains. We can't rely on American microchips or German machines, even if it's all done in China.If contractors are in the Western world, we are forced to abandon them for the sake of supply and production security. And, since the leaders of our countries have agreed that Russia will build a new world order based on BRICS - these are the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the words of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and other BRICS countries will also build the world order in our macroregion - and this is a big part of the world, then we need new types of tools for this, such as the BRICS Industrial Coalition.As you know, BRICS is not an organization. If the SCO, for example, has an international General Secretariat, there is a vertical, then BRICS is a club of state leaders. And decisions are made at summits, where it has been repeatedly stated that the leaders of the BRICS states urge and encourage public business associations of their countries to engage in cooperation and build chains of interaction with each other.For 8 years now, we have had a non-profit partnership, the BRICS Joint Center for Business Cooperation (BRICS UCBC), on the basis of which BRICS industry associations have begun to be created. And in order to have not only intra-industry, but also inter-industry chains, new joint ventures, new BRICS factories, the BRICS Industrial Coalition was created. An industry association is a community in which members can compete with each other, and this makes cooperation difficult, it is difficult for them to build cross-industry chains, since the members of the association are concentrated in one area. And the BRICS Industrial Coalition was created in order for one plant to do one thing, another - another, a third - a third.The idea was born in the Russian national part of BRICS. We decided that we should set a worthy example. In order to invite enterprises from other countries, we must first assemble our factories and form a national base. Before making investment proposals for a particular plant, it is necessary that he himself prepares his base, products, achieves some success, attracts Russian contractors, partners, and shows that the chain is working. And then, in this consortium, it is already possible to invite companies from the BRICS countries and say: look, we have everything ready, we are guided by the decision of the summits, the decision of the BRICS heads of state, we have prepared the infrastructure, so we invite you and are ready to come to you.We are already running the first such project - IT Technopark named after A.V. Suvorov under the auspices of the BRICS Industrial Coalition in the Kursk region. IT is the most advanced, fastest, most urgent field. For example, the lack of microcircuits is a worldwide problem, both Western and Eastern countries face it. This is an aggravation of the situation with the Taiwanese company TSMC, American threats of war, the same as in Ukraine. Officially, our factories can no longer receive chips from Taiwan, and they need to be replaced with something. Parallel import - yes, we solve these problems too, but this is a temporary solution to problems. And the real solution is to gather factories of the BRICS and BRICS+ countries, and this is another 50 countries, and what we ourselves cannot do in the machine tool industry yet, take it in China, take it in India, take it elsewhere. Thus, a new joint venture is created, and the manufactured products are offered for distribution to other BRICS and BRICS+ countries.These countries have earnings and at the same time they are still involved in the control of the process. That is, if you co-invested in a microchip plant, you know that there will no longer be American "bookmarks" there.
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Vladimir Padalko: Business and Investment Environment in China will Remain Predictable10.11.2022Vice President of the Chamber Vladimir Padalko commented on the results of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China - Speaking about the groundwork that was formed by the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China, we can assume that new faces in the Politburo will strengthen the position of the country's leader, which will definitely contribute to the planned reforms. As some experts expect, the appointment of Li Qiang, a supporter of technological entrepreneurship, to a high government post can give a new impetus to the digital transformation of the Chinese economy. I would like to believe that with his assistance, China will set an example for the rest of the world not only in the speed of digitization of all aspects of society, but also in how to ensure the outstripping growth of human intelligence over artificial intelligence. The retention of the current Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the Politburo gives us reason to expect the PRC's foreign policy towards Russia to remain unchanged, but with less regard for the United States. As for the ideological message of the congress, the desire of the Chinese friends to take responsibility for the future of the world and overcome the limitations of the Western model of development based on the idea of colonial aggression and robbery of other countries deserves praise. The lessons of Chinese modernization, the desire of Chinese thinkers to transform and expand the Western model, seem to be timely and instructive. The proposed alternative in the form of a “community with a common destiny for mankind” may have a bright future. To do this, it must be simple and understandable, its meaning and postulates in all languages of the world and by all peoples must be interpreted and perceived unambiguously, be in harmony with nature, not contradict the moral and ethical principles developed by all mankind over thousands of years of history. It will have to take into account not only the Chinese specifics and developments in the transformation of the positive historical experience of Western civilization, but also, most importantly, the ideas and dreams about the image of the future that the rest of humanity has. This also applies to business. The business environment of our countries is looking forward to what results the 20th Congress will bring to entrepreneurs, what form and rules the trade and economic cooperation of our countries will be in the coming new era. So far, we have heard from the leadership of the PRC about the immutability of China's already set course for international cooperation, in which the business and investment environment for foreign capital in the PRC will remain predictable. I would like to believe that the planned and ongoing purchases of new aircraft by China will mark the end of the “zero tolerance policy” and the beginning of a new stage in the establishment of business ties, the revival of tourism and related industries. This can truly breathe life into the economies of our countries. Source: https://www.rbgmedia.ru/post.php?id=16476
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The Head of the Chamber Believes that Foreign Business Would Return to Russia - interview with "Rossiyskaya Gazeta"30.06.2022Excerpts from the interview of the head of the Chamber to the main government newspaper of the Russian Federation For the most part, foreign business shows no desire to leave Russia and tries to maintain relations with Russian partners. In such circumstances, we should not abandon the cooperation we have been building with them for years. Sergey Katyrin, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, spoke about this in an interview with “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” – main Russian official newspaper. How much does the withdrawal of some Western companies from the Russian market affect today? Are they gone forever? And what about trade relations with the West? Are those ties broken forever? Sergei Katyrin: You need to understand that we have developed long-term stable ties with the West, especially actively developed in recent decades. And to say that everything, from tomorrow we have no interests in the West, I think, is wrong and completely unpromising. Relationships should be maintained wherever possible. Undoubtedly, not everyone will be able to maintain them, and these sanctions will be with us for a long time, if not forever. However, I think that somehow countries will slowly start crawling out from under them: at first, without advertising, but less to comply with all restrictions - to buy something, sell something, and so on. There is also a foreign business that has invested a lot of money in Russia and does not want to lose it. Now some of them are forced to leave Russia, tighten up, reduce the volume of trade and production, and behave more modestly in the Russian markets. However, such decisions are made under strong pressure, primarily from governments, the leadership of these countries and public opinion. In the overwhelming majority of cases, foreign companies do not want to leave Russia. This is evidenced by the results of our numerous meetings with business associations of foreign countries - German, American, French, Japanese. Anyway, many of them hope that in the future they will return and work in our market. Inevitably, there will be those who want to work with Russia, do business here, keep themselves on our territory, or come later. Therefore, we must maintain relationships with those with whom we worked. At least we in the Chamber try to maintain relations with partners and convey to colleagues that any quarrel ends in peace. And sooner or later we will have to build bridges, so now it is better not to destroy them.
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African Market is Very Promising for Russia—Vladimir Padalko29.04.2022Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Mr Vladimir Padalko, has described the African market as very promising for Russian companies, especially those intending to localize their production on the continent blessed with several resources. In this insightful interview with our Media Executive Kester Kenn Klomegah, he also discussed the existing challenges and emerging prospects especially for strengthening trade and economic relations with Africa, amid unprecedented stringent sanctions by the United States, European Union and their Pacific allies. Here are the interview excerpts: What can we expect from the second Russia-Africa summit scheduled for this year? Is it worth talking about increasing the level of Russian investment, and strengthening interaction with African businesses? The second Russia-Africa summit will become an important starting point for cooperation between the Russian Federation and African countries. The economic situation for Russia has now changed dramatically, while most countries on the continent have refrained from participating in anti-Russian sanctions. Therefore, we are talking about the formation of new approaches in a wide field of interaction, adjustment, or rather an expansion of those strategic tasks that were formulated at the first Russia-Africa summit. Let me remind you that three years ago, priority areas for economic cooperation were identified in a number of industries. These are energy, infrastructure development, especially railway construction, mining and processing of minerals, agriculture, digital technologies, medicine, science and education. These priorities will be voiced at the second summit as well. But I think that the main topic of the upcoming forum will be the formation of new tools for fruitful cooperation between Russia and Africa, including new methods of mutual settlements, logistics routes, media and cultural communication. How competitive is the current African market for Russian companies and potential investors who have shown interest in Africa? In recent years, many African countries no longer experience a lack of attention from foreign partners. Unfortunately, today the share of Western states, as well as China, in trade with African countries is much higher than Russia’s. But, nevertheless, our country is able to occupy significant niches in many areas. We sell very popular goods in Africa: fertilizers, oil products, wood products, plastics, rolled metal products, grain, certain types of machinery and equipment, and vehicles. In turn, African countries are ready to supply the Russian market with a whole range of food products, with the supply of which problems have recently arisen. And in some countries, in particular, South Africa, there are good products in mechanical engineering, chemical, and food industries, which will also be useful for us today. The African market today is very promising for Russia, but also very difficult. Russian business needs to work on it thoroughly and systematically in order to achieve success. Does the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation intend to encourage Russian companies to localize their production in African countries, thereby using one of the most reliable ways to expand trade and economic cooperation? The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation supports all positive trends in business, including foreign economic activity. The localization of Russian production in African countries is already a mature stage of cooperation when companies understand all the specifics of doing business in a particular country and are confident in the long-term nature of project implementation, and the return on their investments. In my opinion, now for the majority of Russian companies that intend to work in Africa, it is important to create a set of tools that will allow them to confidently develop their business with the countries of the continent. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation has already prepared a set of proposals that should seriously help the promotion of Russian business to African markets. The initiatives were discussed and approved at the last meeting of the heads of business councils at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation for cooperation with African countries. For example, it is important that Russian banks come to Africa. Now there is only one bank – it is very small for the whole continent. We need settlement banks that would work with different currencies, and not just with dollars and euros. The President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin, in a letter to the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, proposed to conclude intergovernmental agreements with African states on the use of national currencies in mutual settlements and payments. It was also proposed to work out the issue of establishing a specialized export-import bank and a trust fund to support the export activities of small and medium-sized businesses in African countries. We really need a Russia-Africa trading house. In connection with the latest events in the world, international logistics have seriously changed. We need commodity hubs that work for several countries at once. As you can see, we are now at the stage of creating an infrastructure that will allow us to reach a qualitatively new level of cooperation between Russia and Africa. Business needs vital information, knowledge about the investment climate, and the specifics of work in a particular country. Business needs vital information, knowledge about the investment climate, and the specifics of working in a particular country. Do you think there is an information vacuum between Russia and Africa? The information vacuum definitely exists, and this obstacle should first be removed. One of the most effective tools in this direction is holding exhibitions. Experience indicates that business in Africa shows great interest in them. In connection with this, the CCI of the Russian Federation proposes to redirect the funds allocated for exhibitions in Europe to the organization of exhibitions and business forums in African countries. But at the same time, it is necessary to work quickly – it takes an average of six months to prepare any exhibition, and the situation in this area can change dramatically. It is also necessary to organize business missions more often, hold roadshows, presentations of Russian companies in African countries. The online format of communication is good, but direct contact, so to speak, on earth is always effective and brings returns. I would like to note that the CCI of the Russian Federation intends to actively contribute to the expansion of the network of trade representative offices in Africa. Currently, there are only four Russian trade missions operating on the continent; Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and South Africa. There should be more of them. What do you think are the main problems for foreign players on the African continent, what hinders the development of trade and the influx of Russian investments into African countries? Trade and economic cooperation is always a bilateral process. African countries need to further develop financial and investment infrastructure, which foreign partners, in our case, Russian ones, will be able to rely on. Do not hope that investors will come, find promising projects on their own and implement them at their own expense. At the same time, the experience of the Soviet Union shows that it is possible and necessary to cooperate with African countries in a broad format. However, the economic model of interaction is now fundamentally different – no one will recklessly invest. All work is based on a mutually beneficial basis. At the same time, Russia is now living in fundamentally new economic realities. Many communications, logistics, and supply chains have been disrupted. Business is forced to adjust strategies for working with foreign partners and to look for new opportunities for their development. And in this situation, cooperation in friendly areas – with African countries – becomes one of the priorities. At the end of this exclusive interview, what are your final motivating words and what can you wish for potential clients and partners in Africa? Africa has changed a lot in recent years. A number of countries show high rates of economic growth, new industries are developing, enterprises are opening, and not in the sphere of primary processing of minerals and agricultural raw materials. The African continent has become a place of expansion for many foreign companies. Russia cannot stand aside from this process. Businesses need to take the initiative and take a certain risk – it is like two sides of a coin. The main thing is that our country has a good mood for the development of cooperation, and this is unambiguous on the part of African countries as well. So, we will succeed. There is a wide field of collaboration ahead.
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Igor Morozov, Chairman of AFROCOM: “For Russia Africa is the last relatively free market for the export of domestic goods”14.02.2022In recent decades, Africa has become the main continent for which an active struggle is unfolding between the Euro-Atlantic region and Greater Eurasia. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that the European Union is increasing its trade turnover with African countries, and today it amounts to more than 300 billion dollars a year.
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TASS: the Managers of the Chamber Said that the Business of Russia and the United States is Set to Develop Cooperation09.02.2022It would be extremely unwise for politicians to destroy excellent opportunities for cooperation, said the head of the chamber, Sergei Katyrin
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Russia Ready To Bolster Ties With Ethiopia In Multifaceted Areas Of Cooperation: Senator Igor Morozov13.07.2023Addis Ababa, July 12, 2023 (FBC) – A preliminary session of the Second Russia-Africa Summit held in Addis Ababa on Wednesday in the presence of representatives of the government and the business community of the Russian Federation and Ethiopian dignitaries. In his opening remarks, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ethiopia, Evgeny Terekhin, stated that Russia attaches greater importance to its ties with Africa in the social, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. Russia played a significant role in supporting African nations when they struggled against colonialism, and the political and diplomatic relations with his country and countries of the continent has continued to be strengthened over the decades. “The political dialogue between the Russian Federation and African nations has not stopped for a single moment since the establishment of the traditional relations between the two sides,” he underscored. “We are committed to strengthen our traditional relations with African nations in economic technical areas based on principles of equality and mutual trust,” he said. “We are working to facilitate conditions that would enable us to employ national currencies of countries to expedite trade ties between African nations, he said.” Member of the Upper Chamber of the Federal Assembly and Chairman of the Coordinating Committee for Economic Cooperation with African Countries (AFROCOM), Igor Morozov, stated that Africa is a continent with a productive young population and immense resources, reiterating the commitment of his country to deepen cooperation with the country in a wide range of areas including trade, economy, science, education, digital technology, health and agriculture. AFROCOM has six offices in Africa including the one it opened last year in Addis Ababa, Igor Morozov said, adding that this shows how Russia is committed to expand trade and economic ties with the continent. “The west has been trying to sever the ties between Russia and Africa, but our relationship has thrived withstanding all challenges,” he noted. Regarding the bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Russia, the Senator stated that Russia will remain to be nation’s close partner in the diplomatic, political, cultural and humanitarian spheres. Russian companies are ready to participate in the Ethiopian economy in the fields of production and assembly of cars, tractors and other agricultural equipment, he said, pledging commitment to attract more other investments to the country. He also appreciated Ethiopia’s aspiration to join the BRICS bloc. Concerning cooperation in the science and education sectors, Senator Igor said ROSCOSMOS will share its immense experiences in the Space Science Aerospace Research fields with Ethiopia. Russia is also ready to establish a trade house in Addis Ababa as part of its ongoing activities to bolster economic and investment ties with Ethiopia and the continent Africa at large. He further expressed his confidence that the Second Russia-Africa Summit would serve as a good platform in strengthening comprehensive and equal cooperation between Russia and Africa countries. President of the Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations of Ethiopia, Melaku Ezezew, for his part, said “this is the right time to tighten economic and cultural ties between Africa and Russia,” calling the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit a good opportunity in this regard. “Its cooperation with Russia in areas of science, trade and technology transfer is vital to Ethiopia so as to accelerate its economic growth and achieve development goals,” Melaku pointed out, affirming the commitment of the association in strengthening economic and investment partnership between the two sides. By Wondesen Aregahegn
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#SPIEF2023 | Foreign Investors Express Huge Interest, Focus on Acting Jointly – Dmitry Kurochkin18.06.2023At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, we also heard from the vice president of Russia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who provided a picture of investment prospects in Russia.
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President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce Addressed the BRICS Business Forum27.06.2022
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