28 Aug 2018 13:29

EEF to discuss protecting investor rights, transport corridors, SAR on Russky Island

VLADIVOSTOK. Aug 28 (Interfax) - Issues concerning protection of investor rights, the creation of a special administrative region (SAR) on Russky Island and the development of transport corridors will be discussed in the business program at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), which will be held on September 11-13, the Roscongress Foundation said in a press release.

The program includes about 70 business events, including panel discussions, business dialogs, business breakfasts and roundtables.

As usual, the main event of the forum will be the plenary session with the participation of President Vladimir Putin. The topic of the session this year is The Russian Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities.

The EEF's business program will focus on four main areas.

The section "Tools to Support Investors: Next Steps" will focus on the results and potential of mechanisms such as priority development areas (PDA) and the Free Port of Vladivostok. The discussion is expected to touch on the issues of protecting investor rights, infrastructure support for businesses, the creation of an SAR on Russky Island, as well as the Far East Federal District's advancement in the national ranking of investment appeal.

Participants in this section's sessions will include Russia's Prosecutor General Yury Chaika; Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs Rights Boris Titov; Federal Customs Service head Vladimir Bulavin; Russian Academy of Sciences president Alexander Sergeyev; and the leaders of Far East regions.

The section "Industry Priorities in the Far East" will focus on the problems facing industries that will drive the region's economic growth in the near future. More specifically, individual sessions will consider the forestry industry, agriculture, fishing industry, oil and gas processing, tourism and port infrastructure, mining and processing of solid minerals, the jewelry industry and improving legislation in the area of geological exploration.

Reports on these issues will be presented by Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev, State Duma Deputy Speaker Irina Yarovaya, Russian Chamber of Commerce president Sergei Katyrin, Russian Export Center CEO Andrei Slepnev, and the heads of Russian and foreign companies.

The section 'The Global Far East: International Cooperation Projects' will focus on opportunities for economic cooperation between Russia's Far East and neighboring countries, the role Far East transport corridors for the Asia-Pacific region, the creation of an International medical cluster in Vladivostok, integration and energy cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and development of Pacific Ocean resources. This section will also include televised debates a session of the Valdai Club on the subject of New Geopolitics and Political Economy of Asia: Opportunities for Russia.

Participants in discussions will include Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov; Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov; Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dmitry Kobylkin; Mongolian Foreign Minister Damdin Tsogtbaatar; Eurasian Economic Commission Chairman Tigran Sarkisyan; and Nobel Peace Prize winners Chung Rae Kwon and Riccardo Valentini.

The section 'Improving Living Conditions' will discuss the implementation of national projects in the areas of demographics, healthcare, education, culture and science, housing and urban development in the Russian Far East. Participants will also discuss prospects for developing the region's labor market and improving measures for land development through the Far East Hectare program, as well as financing of social services, increasing life expectancy and the role of cultural institutions in regional development.

Participants in the social sector section will include representatives of relevant government agencies: Far East Human Capital Development Agency General Director Sergei Khovrat; Federal Nationalities Affairs Agency head Igor Barinov; Federal Youth Affairs Agency head Alexander Bugayev; Healthcare Minister Veronika Skovrtsova; Construction, Housing and Utilities Minister Vladimir Yakushev; and Education Minister Olga Vasilyeva.

The EEF, which will be held on Russky Island in Vladivostok, will also host seven international business dialogs: Russia-China; Russia-India; Russia-South Korea; Russia-Japan; Russia-ASEAN; Russia-Middle East; and Russia-Europe.