At the International Symposium “Creating the Future” at the site of the National Center “Russia”, a session “New Development of the Arctic” was held, bringing together Russian and foreign experts on the development of Arctic territories and the Northern Sea Route (NSR) from government, business and the scientific community.
The participants discussed the implementation of major investment projects in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, the role of the nuclear icebreaking fleet in the development of the NSR, the development of cities in the extreme conditions of the Far North, as well as the main directions of polar tourism.
Igor Levitin, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairman of the Maritime Board of the Russian Federation, stressed the special importance of the development of the Northern Sea Route and the Russian Arctic as a whole both for the economic development of the country and for strengthening its sovereignty. He noted the importance of following an integrated approach to the development of the main transport artery of the Far North.
“The coastal infrastructure is of particular importance – it is necessary to build a navigation safety system and create a good port infrastructure. We need container hubs in the regions of Primorye, Khabarovsk Territory, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk. In addition, it is necessary to increase local transport accessibility and simplify the possibility of cargo exchange. In this context, one of the most important tasks is to ensure the stability of the northern supply,” Igor Levitin stressed.
Alexey Chekunkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, noted that a huge role in the development of the Arctic is played by human feat and long-term efforts of people who, in super-complex conditions, create the basis of the economy here. According to him, in the Far North, people are always at the forefront. He also stressed that Russia has always been the first in the development of northern technologies.
“Investment projects worth more than 30 trillion rubles are being implemented in the Arctic zone today. This is a fifth of our economy and Russian exports. The development of the Northern Sea Route is a cross-cutting project that links the Arctic with the rest of Russia and with the whole world. A unified plan for the development of the Northern Sea Route has been adopted. The total volume of investments in its implementation by 2035 will amount to 1.8 trillion rubles, of which 760 billion are budget investments. It is planned to build 10 icebreakers, 116 supernova vessels of the ice-class cargo fleet, railway and rescue infrastructure, 14 seaports and terminals, and the expansion of the satellite constellation,” Alexey Chekunkov noted.
The Governor of the Murmansk Region, Andrey Chibis, stated the importance of developing the social sphere in the implementation of Arctic projects. According to him, the region has accumulated successful experience in increasing the attractiveness of the territory for citizens – last year, for the first time since 1989, more Russians came to live and work in the Murmansk region than left.
“First of all, this is due to the growth of the economy and the creation of new jobs. We are increasingly competing for qualified and proactive specialists not only with the regions of the central part of the country, but also with both Russian capitals. We are actively investing in education, healthcare, sports and landscaping. As a result, Murmansk is now among the five most comfortable cities among those with an unfavorable climate,” Andrei Chibis said.
The important role of big business in the development of the Arctic territories was noted at the session.
Nikolay Utkin, First Vice President and Head of the block for interaction with the authorities of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, announced the continuation of Norilsk Nickel’s construction of its own ice fleet, which currently includes six ships. It is assumed that this will allow the company to increase its transportation volumes along the NSR from the current 1.6 million tons per year to 3 million tons by 2028.
The international symposium “Creating the Future” takes place from November 4-6. The participants of the event are scientists, researchers, futurists, science fiction writers and government representatives from 101 countries, including Russia, India, Italy, Iran, China, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, the United States and France. The program includes more than 60 sessions in four areas: the future of man, the future of technology, the future of a multipolar world and the future of civilizations. The program and broadcasts of the events are available on the website https://future.russia.ru /.
The International Symposium “Creating the Future” is the first event of the National Center “Russia”, which was established on July 1, 2024 by order of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The center is designed to preserve the legacy of the International Exhibition and Forum “Russia” and demonstrate the achievements of the country and its citizens. Federal authorities, state-owned companies, corporations and regions participate in the work of the center.
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The website of the National Center “Russia” – https://russia.ru/
Website of the Symposium “Creating the Future” — https://future.russia.ru/
