Photo by the Rosongress Foundation
In Mineralnye Vody, the first Caucasian investment exhibition was completed, which was held on the territory of the largest exhibition center in the North Caucasus Federal District “MinvodyExpo”. More than 3 thousand people came to the forum, including heads and representatives of government bodies, industry companies, investors, businessmen, experts, leading media from the CIS countries and guests from 14 countries: Azerbaijan, Venezuela, Israel, Iran, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Abkhazia, Cyprus , South Ossetia, Serbia, Slovenia, USA, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka.
Summing up the first results of the exhibition, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak noted that the forum is of great importance not only for the regions of the North Caucasus, but also for the whole country. “I think that the goal set by the organizers has been achieved.”
From May 2 to 4, 30 events were held dedicated to the issues of infrastructure, agro-industrial complex, tourism and logistics industries, personnel reserve, banking sector, housing and communal services and energy. 300 speakers spoke at round tables and sessions. More than 50 agreements worth more than 150 billion rubles were signed at the investment exhibition.
On May 3, the official opening of the event took place, the participants discussed key issues related to the development of tourism and transport infrastructure. For the North Caucasus Federal District, this is especially important, since the North-South transport corridor has been laid in the region.
– The North Caucasus is a geostrategic territory. The region has land borders with four countries and sea borders with four more. We were instructed to develop a model of socio-economic development for each subject of the North Caucasus Federal District with specific projects and indicators. As a result, in 2022, the growth rate of industry in the region is four times higher than the national one, and agriculture is twice as high. For three years, the flow of tourists to the North Caucasus has increased by 25% – up to 3.8 million people, – said Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin held a meeting with members of the Government Commission on Social and Economic Development of the North Caucasus Federal District at the site of the Caucasian Investment Exhibition. The Head of Government drew attention to the fact that now the North Caucasus is developing most dynamically – in 2022, the volume of investments in the fixed capital of the regions reached almost 8%.
Mikhail Mishustin noted another positive trend: in the North Caucasus Federal District, there is an increase in industry and an increase in the volume of goods of own production. The North Caucasus is a leader in agricultural sectors, the laying of orchards continues, aquaculture and sheep breeding are developing, serious selection and genetic work is underway, and the unemployment rate has been reduced by 10%.
After the meeting, Mikhail Mishustin went to the united stand of the Kavkaz.RF Development Institute, where he talked with all the participants of the exhibition. The heads of the republics spoke about their key investment projects: they demonstrated five breakthrough projects in each region. According to Mishustin, these projects brought the regions more than 240 billion rubles and contributed to the creation of over 9,000 jobs.
Murat Kerefov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, spoke about the cooperation between representatives of business and the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District, who exchanged experience in implementing investment projects within the framework of the NWPC – an agreement on the protection and promotion of investments.
– This year, the first SZPK was concluded on the territory of the North Caucasian Federal District. Now there are already two such projects with a total investment of 49.4 billion rubles. So, in Kabardino-Balkaria, a project is being implemented in the field of mining, and in the Stavropol Territory, a greenhouse complex is being built. This is 1.5 thousand future jobs, – said Murat Kerefov.
The central event of the business program on May 3 was the plenary session “Economic potential of the North Caucasus Federal District. The Role of Investments in the Development of the Macro-Region”, which was attended by Alexander Novak, Head of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Maxim Reshetnikov, governors of several regions, shareholders, investors, business representatives and foreign officials.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of JSC Firm Agrocomplex named after N.I. Tkachev” Alexander Tkachev told the participants that he plans to make Arkhyz a “new Courchevel” and described in detail the advantages of the resort and said that he had invested another 40 million rubles. to this project.
Alexei Bezprozvannykh, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, noted the key task of the forum in the economic development of the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District – the presentation of investment projects in industry.
– The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia pays great attention to supporting the North Caucasus. We have approved roadmaps for the development of industrial potential with all the subjects. At the end of 2022: the index of industrial production amounted to 102.7% compared to the data for the Russian Federation – 99.4%, – Alexei Bezprozvannykh, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, spoke about the success of the region.
– The exhibition attracted a significant number of participants. This confirms that the Caucasus is a special territory that arouses great interest among both investors and residents of our entire country,” Alexander Novak summed up at the plenary session and proposed making the KIV an annual event.
The head of the Stavropol Territory, Vladimir Vladimirov, who received guests and forum participants in the Mineralnye Vody, supported Alexander Novak’s proposal.
– Yes, we want to make it an annual event. Today we have built up only the 5th part of the MinvodyExpo complex and in the future we would like the exhibition to become not only Caucasian, but also Russian, – the head of the Stavropol Territory told the KP journalist.
