The working group consists of over 90 representatives of federal and regional executive bodies, the expert community and public organisations.
The group is headed by Astrakhan Region Governor Alexander Zhilkin. The governor informed the meeting participants about the goals and tasks related to the drafting of the report.
Minister for North Caucasus Affairs Lev Kuznetsov presented the report’s structure and main sections for discussion.
The meeting participants noted that creating additional conditions for the socioeconomic development of the Caspian region is becoming particularly important for consolidating Russia’s economic and geopolitical presence in the Caspian, expanding and deepening economic and cultural ties with the Caspian countries and increasing international cargo transport.
At the same time, the development potential of the Caspian region is not being realised. The potential for increasing the growth of industrial and agro-industrial production is not being used in full; proper conditions for tourism have not been created, in part, due to the region’s weak infrastructure.