SPIEF Aims To Foster Growth and Emergence of New World Order
June 5—The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) will convene June 5-8, under the theme of “The Formation of New Centers of Growth as the Cornerstone of a Multipolar World.” It is expected to draw nearly 17,000 participants from 136 countries and territories in the proceedings, and more than 3,000 companies will be represented and join in the seminars.
The SPIEF, has held conferences annually since its founding in 1997, and since 2005, the Forum has been held under the auspices and with the participationof the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. It is also one of the organizations whose intent and activity melds in with the direction and purpose of the BRICS, and the creation of a new, world development-based order.
Special Eurasia Geopolitical Intelligence and Risk Assessment intelligence group reports June 3 that guests will be attending from “Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Africa, Venezuela, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, EAEU and ASEAN member states (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao P.D.R., Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam).” In previous conferences, the guests from the United States, Germany and other European countries had participated prominently, but this year there is no indication about their current attendance.
The SPIEF business program (B20) will hold meetings and workshops on four sub-themes, “1. Transition to a multipolar model of the world economy; 2.The Russian economy: goals and objectives of a new cycle; 3.Technologies providing leadership; and 4.Healthy society, traditional values, and social development—priorities of the state.”
Kazakhstan, a long-time and active SPIEF participant, indicates the long-term development that is taking place. At last year’s forum, Kazakhstan and Russia extended intergovernmental agreements on the transit of Russian oil, increasing volume to 10 million tons until the end of 2033. Russia-Kazakhstan trade grew to $28 billion in 2023. Currently, businesses from both countries are executing 135 projects valued at $26.5 billion, with projects being developed in key sectors such as mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and the chemical industry. These joint projects are expected to create 11,000 jobs. Furthermore, the Eurasian railway project, which links Russia, Kazakhstan, and China, will improve Asian transport infrastructure. In addition, the Astana government announced on June 4 that China Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Engineering and Construction (NFC) will construct a copper smelter in Kazakhstan. To be constructed near the village of Aktogay, the proposed smelter will entail a preliminary cost of $1.5 billion. It will lift Kazakhstan out of the status of being solely raw materials exporter, to be able to process its own ore.
Russian Putin will give the keynote address, and his greeting is posted to the homepage. Several top Russian ministers, including Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov, will attend. Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s senior aide, said that Putin “will address national, industrial, and technological projects, digitalization issues, private business, stimulation of scientific and technological progress. Of course, as he fields questions, the President will answer, I think, numerous questions on international issues, including those related to Ukraine,” said Ushakov.