Your Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends,

We are glad to provide the spatial opportunities available to us for meetings like today’s one. Dialogue in this format has become a good tradition. We want to continue it.

Russia is the largest Eurasian power, a state of civilization. Along with Christians, Buddhists and Jews, many millions of Muslim citizens live here.

Our country has traditionally maintained trusting, friendly relations with the Muslim world. We have a lot in common. This is also a commitment to building a just multipolar world order based on the principles of The United Nations Charter in its entirety and interrelationship, and respect for cultural and civilizational diversity, and observance in practice of the most important principle of sovereign equality of states, and Article 1 of the UN Charter, which requires respect for human rights regardless of race, gender, language and religion.

We are united in understanding the inadmissibility for any society of the imposition of values alien to it from the outside, undermining historical roots, spiritual and moral foundations and internal unity. We reject the vicious practice of using unilateral restrictive measures and “sanctions” against those countries that pursue independent foreign and domestic policies based on national interests and traditions.

The Russian Federation attaches great importance to strengthening friendly relations with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. I am pleased to state that in almost two decades of joint work after Russia received observer status at the OIC in 2005, we have achieved significant results.

A stable and trusting political dialogue has been established on topical issues on the international agenda.

Cooperation is underway in the fields of culture, education and science. Regional connections and people-to-people contacts are expanding. Meetings of representatives of the clergy, cultural figures, and youth help our friends in the Islamic world to better understand how modern Russia lives. And it is better for us to understand the very difficult processes taking place in the Islamic world.

The role of the “supporting structure” in relations between Russia and the OIC is played by The Strategic Vision Group is led by the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, R.N. Minnikhanov. The Group serves as a tool for strengthening friendship, mutual understanding and trust between Russia and the Islamic world. Russian Russian Orthodox Church is a unique platform for inter–civilizational dialogue aimed at protecting traditional spiritual and moral values, as well as strengthening mutual understanding between the Russian Orthodox Church and Muslim organizations, and more broadly, between the Russian world and the Arab-Muslim civilization.

The development of relations with the OIC enjoys broad support in our country. The government, parliamentarians, business circles, religious associations, youth organizations, scientists and cultural figures are involved in this process. It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of the authorities of the Russian regions, where the Muslim population historically lives.

The 16th International Economic Forum “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanForum” will be held in Kazan in mid–May. This major business event will give an additional impetus to our cooperation in the trade and economic sphere. A special meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group will be held on the sidelines of the Forum. The Russian Foreign Ministry has already provided and will continue to provide comprehensive assistance to the organization of the Forum. We are mobilizing his support through our diplomatic and trade missions.

We will be glad to see the representative delegations of your countries in the hospitable and beautiful capital of Tatarstan.

source https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/2010544/

Сообщение Speech by Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, during the meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group with the Ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member States, Moscow, April 21, 2025 появились сначала на embassylife.ru.

Сообщение The International Economic Forum SPIEF-2024 has started in St. Petersburg появились сначала на embassylife.ru.

The CIS Economic Council is the main executive body of the association. It is here that they monitor the implementation of all agreements that are being made in the field of economics. And there are already hundreds of joint projects in this area. After all, the Commonwealth is a universal platform where the participating countries join forces to solve urgent problems.

Russia’s trade turnover with the CIS countries has reached a maximum in the entire history of the association. The main trading partners are Belarus, which accounts for almost 45%, Kazakhstan – 27% and Uzbekistan – more than 9%.

“The mutual trade of the CIS countries over the past eight years, from 2015 to 2023, has more than doubled from $56.7 billion to $118.7 billion. In the 23rd year, the volume of mutual trade reached the maximum value for the entire existence of the Commonwealth. And the share of mutual trade in the total exports of the CIS amounted to almost 19%,” said Alexey Overchuk, Chairman of the CIS Economic Council, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

The growth of economies is also associated with the removal of barriers between the CIS countries. Participants strive for settlements in national currencies when trading within the Commonwealth.

“We carry out almost 85% of payments within the Commonwealth in national currencies. As the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission said Bakytzhan Sagintayev, this is already almost 90% within the framework of the EAEU. The business is looking for those payment options that are most convenient for it. And our task is to create the infrastructure and conditions for these calculations,” said Denis Trefilov, Deputy Secretary General of the CIS.

The participants noted that Western pressure and sanctions have only contributed to the strengthening of the Commonwealth. The countries are ready to create their own SWIFT-type settlement and payment system in the Eurasian space. The introduction of such a system, according to the Secretary General of the CIS Sergei Lebedev, will not let anyone look into our pocket.

“The interaction of the banks of the Commonwealth countries, the interaction of ministries, financial departments has become even more active. The growing volume of trade between the CIS countries confirms that solutions have been found. We find opportunities to settle accounts with each other, we help each other. There were estimates that the growth of mutual trade volumes was about 30% over the past two years,” Sergei Lebedev said.

New joint projects in the chemical industry will also be developed. One of the key directions of economic development. And here, specialists from the D.I. Mendeleev Russian University of Chemical Technology are ready to share their experience with their neighbors.

“One of the most important tasks is to create a unified educational space in the CIS countries for the training of highly qualified specialists who are ready to develop and implement joint projects in the field of chemical industry. Our university is directly involved in solving these problems,” said Igor Eremin, Vice–rector of the D.I. Mendeleev Russian University of Chemical Technology.

The countries also prove their unity in the international arena within the framework of the SCO, BRICS, and the EAEU. The participating countries of these associations spoke at the forum, which traditionally takes place together with the meeting of the CIS Economic Council. There are many topics for discussion. For example, the construction industry and the exchange of experience.

“Last year was just an integration dialogue. Today we have already realized that we are entering into projects. This includes the construction industry, labor migration, tourism, and industrial cooperation. Today there are already these international projects. They need to be given the status of an international project, they need to be identified and talked about,” said Vadim Ganin, Director General of the Business Center for Economic Development of the CIS, organizer of the forum.

In particular, they talked about the important North–South route. Two years ago, accelerated trains went by rail to deliver agricultural goods, among other things. This artery is the most important and not only for Russia. It connects the south of the country, the Northwestern Federal District with the countries of the Persian Gulf through Azerbaijan. The length is more than seven thousand kilometers. It is twice as short as via the standard route – the Suez Canal.

source:  https://mir24.tv/news/16585365/ekonomicheskii-forum-stran-sng-v-moskve-o-chem-govorili-uchastniki

Сообщение The CIS Economic Forum in Moscow: what did the participants talk about? появились сначала на embassylife.ru.

The meeting was opened with a welcoming speech by Mr. Sergei Lebedev, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Denis Trefilov, Deputy Secretary General of the CIS, moderated the plenary session.

Sergei Lebedev noted that “the Commonwealth of Independent States, BRICS and SCO countries are, in my opinion, an ideal place to create new industries, unite transportation and logistics chains, and strengthen economic ties. At present, special attention should be paid to the targeted development of the markets of the CIS member states.

I am confident that it is the joint actions of our countries that can ensure the growth of national economies and welfare of our peoples”.

Deputy Secretary General of the CIS Denis Trefilov emphasized that “Dialogue between our associations is undoubtedly important. It allows us to hear each other, share best practices, synchronize and match work on specific areas on our agenda. But much more important is how our work is reflected in the projects in our countries.”

Source
https://cis.minsk.by/news/27205#

Сообщение CIS Secretary General S. Lebedev spoke at the plenary session of the International Economic Forum of CIS Member States появились сначала на embassylife.ru.

“In order to promote the development of international cooperation, I decree: 1. To establish that the International Economic Forum “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanForum” is held annually in Kazan. 2. To form an organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the International Economic Forum “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanForum,” the document says.

According to the decree, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin was appointed chairman of the organizing committee.

The Government of the Russian Federation has been instructed to organize the preparation and holding of the International Economic Forum “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanForum”.

“To hold the International Economic Forum “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanForum” on May 18-19, 2023,” the document adds.

This decree comes into force from the date of its signing – January 17.

A source: https://e-cis.info/news/565/106216/

Сообщение On May 18-19, Kazan will host the International Economic Forum “Russia – the Islamic World” появились сначала на embassylife.ru.