The speakers included Chair of the State Council Commission on the Northern Sea Route and the Arctic and Murmansk Region Governor Andrei Chibis; Aide to the President and Chair of the Maritime Board of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev; CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev; Arkhangelsk Region Governor and Chair of the State Council Commission on International Cooperation and Export Alexander Tsybulsky; Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and Chair of the State Council Commission on Energy Aisen Nikolayev; Chair of the State Council Commission on Youth and Children and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District Governor Dmitry Artyukhov, Chair of the State Council Commission on Efficient Transport System and Head of the Republic of Buryatia Alexei Tsydenov; Adviser to the President and State Council member Igor Levitin; Director General of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev, and others.
In his speech (via videoconference), Aide to the President and Secretary of the State Council of the Russian Federation Alexei Dyumin noted that the Arctic is a huge resource base and a promising transport corridor. “Based on this premise, we should decide on the prospects, timing, and volumes of mineral resources development in the Arctic zone: along with gas, it is coal (Taymyr), polymetals and copper (Chukotka), and so on. The Northern Sea Route, which is currently considered mainly a transport project, should be considered in conjunction with developing Arctic territories. In the context of global trends towards intensification of rivalry for the resource base, it is important to respond quickly and to redistribute resources to key areas of development that will help Russia establish itself as a leader in the development of the Arctic,” the Secretary of the State Council emphasised.
Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic Alexei Chekunkov noted that today the role of the Arctic is growing, while many decisions on its development were made in different geopolitical conditions. “Therefore, the state support mechanisms need to be improved for the purposes of accelerated development of this macro-region, the implementation of investment projects, and improvement of the quality of life. Based on the results of the implementation of the first phase of the Arctic development strategy to 2035, proposals will be prepared to update this foundational document. The new joint decisions worked out during today’s meeting will be an important contribution to the further development of the Russian Arctic”, the Minister said.
Summing up the results of the meeting, Andrei Chibis noted that according to the general opinion of the meeting participants, the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route need a comprehensive development project, which will include the development of mineral and raw material centres, transport infrastructure, science, human resources, and most importantly – the creation of a comfortable living environment. This requires, among other things, extending the renovation of closed administrative-territorial entities to 2030 and providing priority funding for master plan projects of Arctic core settlements. “The Arctic is our national priority. Developing it, our fathers and grandfathers laid the foundation for the future. We must maintain this course, acting strategically and systematically in the interest of the people living and working in the Arctic,” Andrei Chibis said in closing.