Opening the forum at the plenary session “The Russian Arctic – Land of Opportunities,” Artur Chilingarov, President of the Interregional Public Organisation “Association of Polar Explorers,” connected the future of the Arctic to the advancement of international cooperation, noting that the forum is the centre of gravity for related public initiatives and opportunities for the furtherance of constructive dialogue and the identification of solutions to pressing problems.

Dmitri Rogozin, Deputy Chairman of the RF Government, Chairman of the State Commission on Arctic Development, highlighted the main priorities of the commission’s work on matters involving Arctic development. First and foremost, at issue are the people living in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. “They deserve our special attention,” said Dmitri Olegovich, “and we intend to tackle the development of their human capital head on – among other things, by improving their quality of life and expanding their access to social services.” The next important priority is security, which is closely associated with matters of socio-economic development and national security. “The revitalisation of defence infrastructure is aimed not at militarisation, but at the creation of peaceful conditions for the furtherance of cooperation,” emphasised the speaker. The commission is also paying particular attention to transport accessibility and resource extraction.

Speaking of the Northern Capital’s active involvement in the development of Arctic territories, Igor Albin, Vice Governor of St. Petersburg, explained that the city is blessed with a high concentration of scientific-research, educational and technological potential. “We have a long-standing tradition of spiritual and manufacturing ties with the northern regions of Russia and the entire world,” said Igor Nikolaevich. “St. Petersburg is poised to emerge as a major centre for managing Russia’s Arctic zone, and we believe that the only suitable home for establishing the long-discussed Arctic Bank for Reconstruction and Development is St. Petersburg.”

Issues involving the development of small- and medium-sized business in the northern regions were touched upon by Alexei Loginov, Vice President of Sberbank of Russia for Arctic Rapid-Development Projects. Loginov pointed out that entrepreneurial activity is not the current focus of attention, while business activity continues to be the driver of territorial activity. “Business activity in the RF Arctic Zone (RFAZ) is distinct for its high capital-intensity of startups, high resource costs, disparity among regional development levels, low level of competitiveness, and low degree of public awareness of market opportunities,” said Loginov. “In order to create the right atmosphere for business development, it’s essential to invest in infrastructure and foster attractive conditions for doing business.” The speaker indicated that the latter include, among other things, tax incentives, the implementation of various forms of public-private partnership, and organising the appropriate formats for doing business – rapid-development territories and special economic zones.

Over the course of two working days, the forum will consider various aspects of the socio-economic development of the RF Arctic Zone, encompassing issues of transportation accessibility, the exploration and extraction of mineral resources, developing the fuel-and-energy complex, supplying the Arctic with labour resources, environmental safety, developing a single information space, studying Arctic territories, supporting the North’s indigenous minorities, developing tourism, and much more.

The forum organiser is the Interregional Public Organisation “Association of Polar Explorers” with the support and active participation of the RF Government.