The second day of the forum’s work was devoted to international issues.
‘A competitive Eurasia as an area of trust’ was the theme of the plenary session, in which the CIS leaders, representatives of the European Union, the World Trade Organisation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and prominent scientists, politicians and business leaders took part. The session was chaired by Klaus Schwab, chairman of the board of directors of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Before the plenary session began, Mr Putin and the CIS leaders visited the Innovative Achievements and Industrial Design exhibitions at the Lenexpo exhibition centre.
Mr Putin and the CIS leaders arrived in St Petersburg by boat from Strelna. The boat trip gave the leaders the chance to continue discussing relevant issues in an informal setting.
Speakers at the plenary session included President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, professor of international political economy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies Francis Fukuyama, Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg, first deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitrii Medvedev, general director of the World Trade Organisation Pascal Lamy, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Jean Lemierre, and EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson.