The Institute of Contemporary Development organized the roundtable discussion on “The Far East and the Trans-Baikal Region – Development Strategy”.   In his opening remarks the Institute’s Chairman Igor Yurgens emphasized the importance of this discussion. In his view, the government’s development strategy for this region should be updated and revised in response to the global financial crisis.   The roundtable discussion included representatives from regional governments as well as federal agencies and experts on regional development.
 
Igor Melamed, General Director of the International Center for Regional Development, presented the draft document “Strategies for the Socio-Economic Development of the Far East, the Republic of Buryatia, Zabaikalye Territory and the Irkutsk Region through 2025.” The key principles of the strategy focus on efficient use of resources, environmental safety, localization of value-added processes, capitalization of transit opportunities and global innovativeness. Igor Melamed pointed out that the strategy places high priority on the development of the transport, energy and social sectors.
 
The roundtable participants noted certain pitfalls in the strategy and recognized the need to identify more important industrial zones for the region. On top of that, the document fails to define in a clear way the role of the Far East for Russia, i.e., the authors of the document did not describe their vision of the Far East in 2025. It is necessary to set stages for program implementation and to decide which industries, sectors and projects call for development in this region. It is also necessary to take into account both the economic and the social factors, to consider the pattern of the region’s infrastructure development and to address the interests of business and the state separately.   
 
Wrapping up the roundtable, Igor Yurgens noted that the discussion results would be reflected in a document, which will be sent to the Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.