The UNIDO Centre in Russia took part in the 5th International Municipal Forum of the BRICS+ in St. Petersburg and the ICIE thematic session

November 10, 2023

On November 9, 2023, at the invitation of the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ICIE), Mr. Igor Kozhin, the Head of the UNIDO Centre in Russia, took part in the 5th International Municipal Forum of the BRICS+ countries. The event was held at the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Center in St. Petersburg.

A thematic session “Middle East and Africa: economic interaction, new opportunities and prospects” was held within the framework of the IMF BRICS+, co-organized by the ICIE. The aim of the event was to find effective forms and mechanisms for doing business in the region. The prospects for development and the specifics of implementing practical joint projects in industry, construction, transport, mutual requests and opportunities of partners from BRICS countries were discussed.

The session was moderated by the President of the Kyrgyz Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Deputy Chairman of ICIE Council, Danil Ibraev, who opened the event with words of gratitude to the organizers of the IMF BRICS+ and emphasized the timeliness and relevance of the session’s theme.

Mr. Kozhin delivered a presentation titled “Support to business in Africa and the Middle East within the framework of UNIDO project activities and BRICS+ cooperation”.

During his presentation, Mr. Kozhin informed the attendees about the organization’s priority areas in Africa and the Middle East, flagship UNIDO programmes, and initiatives in developing and least developed countries. He also discussed opportunities for expanding cooperation for sustainable industrial development and prospects for implementing new projects through the UNIDO Centre in Russia and the UNIDO’s global ITP Network.

In his address, Mr. Kozhin underscored the rapidly growing influence of the BRICS countries on the global sustainable development agenda. He highlighted that these countries are becoming a benchmark for both developing and industrialized nations. UNIDO collaborates with all BRICS countries, implements technical cooperation programmes with individual countries of the Group, and actively participates in strategic cooperation activities.

The session was also attended by the President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry V. Platonov, President of the International Organization for Eurasian Cooperation D. Stasyulis, President of the GC “RusTitan” A. Tkachuk, founder of the Turkish company “EKOSE” Mehmet Nejat Balarisi, Head of the Russian House in Algeria M. Gekhov, Director for Innovation and Technological Development of the Russian Venture Company E. Petrova.

Summing up the session, the President of the ICIE, Mr. Artem Chaika underscored the increasing significance of the African and Middle Eastern regions for forward-thinking manufacturers, businessmen, and marketers from a majority of states.

He concluded his address with these words, “The ICIE, along with its leadership and our specialized divisions, will study the proposals put forth here. Wherever the ICIE finds potential for their implementation, these will be incorporated into the Congress’s plans. Our dedicated mechanism for work in Africa and the Middle East will be the corresponding Committee of the ICIE.”

The IMF BRICS+ event in total attracted more than 7,000 attendees. This included delegates from 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and foreign representatives from over 200 cities in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the CIS. This year, the forum was represented by 700 Russian commercial companies. The event also saw participation from about 20,000 people from 104 countries who joined the forum using online platforms.