SPIEF’2016 (St. Petersburg International Economic Forum) will bring billions of investments to the province
19.07.2016 Source: www.vkonline.ru Author: Maxim Romashov, Dmitriy Bykov
The XXth International Economic Forum was taking place in Saint Petersburg since the 16th up to the 18th of June. The record number of agreements (for more than 1 trillion RUR) were signed during ‘Russian Davos’ (is also called ‘Summer Davos’). Also, SPIEF was productive for Samara region.
The central event of SPIEF’2016 was plenary meeting with the participation of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev and the Prime Minister of Italy M. Renzi. The Russian President noticed that St. Petersburg International Economic Forum traditionally is an area for discussions of strategic issues: ‘Today such conversation has special importance when the whole world is in process of deep transformation and when almost all spheres of life are under such deep changes’.
V.V. Putin has made several important statements. For example, he suggested the initiation to reinforce integration processes: ‘We suggest to think over about large Eurasian partnership with the participation of Eurasian economic Union and with the countries that has close relationship with us: China, India, Pakistan and Iran. And of course in this case I mean our CIS partners, other concerned countries and unions’.
The Russian President noticed that structural problems accumulated in global economy exist. It will inevitably lead to restructuring of whole branches, to devaluation of the most of production plants and assets, to changes for professions and competences demand, to sharpening competition for both traditional and new markets. At the same time, the leading countries as an opportunity for growth consider capitalization of huge potential those is in the process of formation first of all in digital and industrial technologies, robotics, power industry, biotechnologies and medicine.
‘Discoveries in such spheres are able to lead to real technological revolution, to explosive increase of labour productivity’, - said V.V. Putin.
Important signal
Based on the results of the plenary meeting N.I. Merkushkin told about his own impressions about policy statements of the Head of State: ‘The speech of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was very useful from prospective point of view. He told about general approach to the global world and economy. The world has changed a lot and the economy will undergo dramatic changes. And I absolutely agree with such point of view of Vladimir Vladimirovich’.
The Governor payed attention on the President’s statement about the necessity to investigate opportunities for growth in the development of modern technologies: ‘We have to work hard at innovations in all spheres. Vladimir Vladimirovich said that we are proud of extremely important for us branches, but the thing is that many of them can considerably decrease its values. It is real. And this is a very important signal for active steps of further forward movements of the country. That is why we have innovative approach. We all live at the same country and successful country is also our success’.
Business meetings were going without breaks
As a result of St. Petersburg Forum Samara region will receive investments for billions of RUR, dozens of agreements were concluded. It was achieved thanks to personal and active participation of the Governor in all the negotiations. Without any overestimations it can be stated that N.I. Merkushkin was one of the most demanded regional Governors. During SPIEF he was permanently suggested with business meetings with businessmen who are interested in widening its businesses in Samara region.
It is important to emphasize that SPIEF is an event where the whole political and economic Russian elite is gathering together and often unofficially they come to an agreement about large contracts and investment projects. For example, on the 16th of June, waiting for the signing of the next agreement, N.I. Merkushkin spoke to the Chairman of Management Board of NOVATEK L.V. Mikhelson.
Later N.I Merkushkin told to journalists that Leonid Viktorovich was born in Samara region and he wants to bring a lot of benefits for Samara. The Governor and the Head of NOVATEK discussed company’s plans for construction of the large plant in the region. This manufacturer will produce components for brand new chemical factory in the North of a country.
Additional billion of RUR for Samara region can bring the meeting with the Minister of transport of the Russian Federation. N.I. Merkushkin said: ‘We agreed with Maxim Yurievich that we will receive 1 billion of RUR from Mintrans of the Russian Federation for the construction of Frunzenskiy bridge. Before we planned to take budgetary loan for this purpose and now we can use 1 billion for implementation of other important projects of Samara region’.
And we can talk about dozens of such examples. For instance, a friendly conversation with the Minister of Finance of RF A.G. Siluanov and warm meeting with the General Director of ROSTEC Corporation S.V. Chemezov.
When SBERBANK's management with the presence of dozens of Russian and foreign mass-media journalists was concluding the agreements the largest national companies (NOVATEK, GAZ, RUSAGRO), federal Ministries and Government of Samara region, N.I. Merkushkin was the single Governor who put his signature under one of such documents.
On the 16th and 17th of June, the Governor met with the President of LUKOIL V.Y. Alekperov, the President of ROSNEFT I.I. Sechin, the Chairman of the Board of Financial Corporation SISTEMA V.P. Evtushenkov, the Chairman of BASIC ELEMENT O.V. Deripaska, the General Director of TATNEFT N.U. Maganov and the Senior Vice-President – Chief Engineer V.A. Gapanovich.
The Forum’s participants worked hard during the event
N.I. Merkushkin said: ‘Participants of the forum worked hard and for our region this event was considerably more beneficial than the previous ones. There were a lot of meetings, specific agreements and discussed themes with concrete (incl. financial) results those are important for Samara region and its population. Besides, the Ministries of Economy, Industry, Agriculture and me took part in negotiations of prospective projects‘.
It can be considered that the fulfilled work of the Governor and Samara region delegation during SPIEF’2016 will bring considerable economic benefits for the region in the long-term prospect. ‘There were a lot of meetings in the Forum and every one was all-important for Samara region’ – said N.I. Merkushkin about the results of SPIEF’2016.