The II Northern Forum Governors’ Meeting (the II Meeting) was held on April 10th, and was recognized as the one of key events of the ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’ 5th International Arctic Forum.

The II Meeting was moderated by Alexander Tsybulskiy, Governor of Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

Welcoming addresses were delivered by:

• Alexander Kozlov, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic
• Nikolay Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
• Anne Lammila, Consul General of the Republic of Finland in Saint Petersburg
• Hannele Pokka, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Finland; Chair of the Northern Forum (2001–2005)
• Asa Larsson-Blind, President, Saami Council
• Nikolay Kharitonov, Chairman of the Committee for Regional Policy and Issues of the North and Far East, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
• Aleksandr Akimov, Chairman of the Council for the Arctic and Antarctic at the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Deputy Chair, Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government, and Affairs of the North
• Sergey Kharuchi, Council President, Association of World Reindeer Herders
• Grigory Ledkov, President, Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East (RAIPON)

Leaders of the Northern Forum member regions spoke on the strategic development of the organization:

• Aysen Nikolaev, Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
• Natalia Komarova, Governor of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug–Yugra
• Roman Kopin, Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
• Alexander Mazharov, Deputy Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug

Northern Forum Governors attended the II Meeting:

• Aleksandr Uss, Governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai
• Asthildur Sturludottir, Mayor of Akureyri, Iceland
• Sergey Furgal, Governor of Khabarovsk Krai

Expert conclusions were delivered by:

• Alexander Pilyasov, General Director, Regional Consulting Institute; Director, North and Arctic Economics Centre for the Study of Productive Forces.
• Lassi Heininen, Professor of Arctic Politics at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki
• Kjell Stokvik, Managing Director, Centre for High North Logistics, Nord University Business School
• Svein Mathiesen, Head of Institute of Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry, University of the Arctic

The highest officials of the northern countries and regions, as well as world renowned experts, scientists, social activists, business representatives learned about the Northern Forum Development Strategy - 2030.

The Strategy is being developed since 2015, in accordance with the Resolution No. 178 of the Board of Governors, adopted at the XII NF Assembly in Yakutsk.

In 2017, a draft Strategy developed by experts from Lapland (Republic of Finland) headed by Governor Mika Riipi was presented at a meeting of the NF Regional Coordinators Committee (RCC).

In 2018, the draft Strategy developed by Lapland was taken as a basis. Expert discussions on the draft Strategy were held on the margins of the Arctic Circle Assembly in October 2018.

By the decision of RCC, Resolution No. 205 of November 22, 2018, the final revision of the Strategy was entrusted to the Northern Forum Secretariat and Alexander Pilyasov, General Director, Regional Consulting Institute; Director, North and Arctic Economics Centre for the Study of Productive Forces, NF Expert.

At the end of the II Meeting, a solemn ceremony was held to sign the “Northern Forum Development Strategy for the period until 2030.”

At the end of the II Meeting, the “Northern Forum Development Strategy - 2030” was signed by the Board of Governors.

KEY CONCLUSIONS OF THE II MEETING:

Alexander Tsybulskiy, Governor of Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Northern Forum Chair:

— “Starting from 2015, we have been actively developing a strategy for the Northern Forum. We still exist without on, despite the crucial role our alliance plays in developing of northern regions and the Arctic zone”

Alexander Kozlov, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic: 

— “Russia has approximately 2.4 million people residing in the Arctic, and just like everyone they have their constitutional rights, and their standard of living should be no worse than the average one for Russia. It’s a certain challenge, because capabilities of certain municipalities are behind those indicators”.

Nikolay Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation:

— “Today, the global trend and the reverse side of globalization is regionalization. Performance of Barents and Arctic councils would be a good example, as their main driver is the regions”.

Anne Lammila, Consul General of the Republic of Finland in Saint Petersburg:

— “Finland wants the Arctic to be a viable and sustainable territory. We are glad that Russia also treats development of its Arctic territories as a priority”.

 

Nikolay Kharitonov, Chairman of the Committee for Regional Policy and Issues of the North and Far East, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation:

— “The Forum is of utmost strategic importance for the whole global community. Russia’s northern Arctic territories have a significant historical, political and economic impact on the country’s development. Their potential can and should be efficiently used a foundation for stabilizing economic processes in the country”.

Aleksandr Akimov, Chairman of the Council for the Arctic and Antarctic at the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Deputy Chair, Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government, and Affairs of the North:

— “The North and the Arctic need an absolutely different approach: they require a new method that would involve cutting-edge resource efficient technology. This is our main message, and this is where we are ready to cooperate”.

Hannele Pokka, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Finland; Chair of the Northern Forum (2001–2005):

— “Waste management is an important topic, one of top priority ones for the Russian Government. I hope Russia will continue developing effective solutions in this area”.

Asa Larsson-Blind, President, Saami Council:

— “Global warming sets new challenges; all of it is discussed on the global level, at big forums <…> There are people who see those changes every day, that is why it is important to introduce those changes on local level, in our own regions. Besides, you can find knowledge for solving those problems”.

Grigory Ledkov, President, Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East (RAIPON):

— “Since 1990s, here in Russia it is the regional authorities – primarily in the Arctic regions, in the Far East, and namely the governors and the legislative bodies – that bear the burden of work, help and cooperation”.

Aysen Nikolaev, Head of Sakha Republic (Yakutia):

— “When we talk about the impact of global negative factors – primarily climate ones – that our country’s President Vladimir Putin addressed yesterday, new objectives get special urgency and become today’s necessity in the face of infrastructure problems in the Arctic”.

Sergey Kharuchi, Council President, Association of World Reindeer Herders:

— “It is only when traditional and modern organizations find a way to coexist, we will be able to declare sustainable development, which is the purpose of such a non-governmental organization as the Northern Forum”.

Natalia Komarova, Governor of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug–Yugra:

— “New points of political instability are another challenge for the world’s Arctic and northern regions; they aggravate the need for effective international and interregional communication platforms”.

Roman Kopin, Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug:

— “The Northern Forum gives a strong impetus to developing northern regions’ initiatives and serves as a platform for their cooperation”.

Alexander Mazharov, Deputy Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug:

— “Under national goals and strategic development objectives, the Government committed to developing the Northern Sea Route by 2024 and take the cargo traffic up to 80 million tons involving Russia’s regional authorities, mainly in the northern regions”.

Lassi Heininen, professor, University of Helsinki:

— “We are going through the times of turbulence, times of uncertainty in politics, but the Arctic states are committed to cooperation”;
— “We are fairly successful in the Arctic. As opposed to patriarchal policy of global leadership, we have a chance to pursue the interests of sustainable development and improve living conditions for local residents. That would be impossible without active support for residents of those regions”.

Alexander Pilyasov, General Director, Regional Consulting Institute; Director, North and Arctic Economics Centre for the Study of Productive Forces:

— “We have approved the Lapland project and have treated it with care. I would emphasize three ideas that are the cornerstone of this document: traditions as the backbone <…>, reasonable ambition <…> and becoming a ‘smart organization”.

Svein D. Mathiesen, Head of Institute of Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry, University of the Arctic:

— “The problem is that an opportunity should be an opportunity for everyone. We heard about reindeer herders, and they should have their own opportunities. The Arctic has 24 various ethnicities that are interested in promoting their produce”.

Kjell Stokvik, Managing Director, Centre for High North Logistics, Nord University Business School:

— “Our events brought in many students from Russia, because it is important to pay attention to education in order to bring up future leaders”.

On April 8, the NF Regional Coordinators Committee Meeting was held within preparations to the II Meeting of Governors.

At the Regional Coordinators Committee Meeting a final version of the Northern Forum Development Strategy – 2030 was reviewed.

The Regional Coordinators Committee Meeting was moderated by Ivan Boltenkov, Deputy Governor of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Chairman of the NF Regional Coordinators Committee.

List of Participants

NF Regional Coordinators Committee representatives:

1. Alexander Mazharov, Deputy Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
2. Anatoly Tsykalov, Deputy Chairman of the Government, Krasnoyarsk Krai
3. Gavryl Kirillin, Minister of External Relations and Ethnic Affairs of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
4. Dmitry Korostelev, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Kamchatka Krai
5. Natalia Slugina, Head of International Relations Department, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Governor and Government Administration
6. Eduard Isakov, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra Government Representative at Federation Council
7. Yuri Chaika, Minister of Investment Development and Entrepreneurship, Khabarovsk Krai

Experts and Invitees:

8. Aleksandr Vorotnikov, Expert for Public-Private Partnership, PORA Expert Center (Project Office for the Development of the Arctic)
9. Alexander Pilyasov, General Director, Regional Consulting Institute; Director, North and Arctic Economics Centre for the Study of Productive Forces
10. Vladislav Rishko, Deputy head, Public and External Relations Department, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra
11. Daryana Maximova, Associate Professor, Department of International Studies, Institute of Modern Languages and Regional Studies, North-Eastern Federal University; Executive Director, Autonomous non-profit organization “The University of the Arctic in Russia”, Candidate of Politics
12. Irina Samsonova, Academy of Sciences, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
13. Kira Zmieva, Editor, journal “Russian Arctic”
14. Lars Kullerud, President, University of the Arctic (UArctic)
15. Sergey Kungurtsev, Head of International and Interregional Relations Department, Nenets Autonomous Okrug
16. Yuriy Zakharinsky, Head of Integrated Study of the Arctic Department, Siberian Federal University

Northern Forum Secretariat:

17. Olga Timofeeva-Tereshkina, Acting Executive Director
18. Arkadiy Diodorov, Chief Spesialist
19. Varvara Parilova, Lead Spesialist

The draft Northern Forum Development Strategy was unanimously approved by the RCC, and recommended for a review by the NF Board of Governors. A draft of Resolution that approves the Strategy was supplemented by a point proposing to the Secretariat to prepare a draft of amendments to the Strategy, taking into account additions and proposals received by April 2019, by September 1, 2019.

Regional Coordinators Committee Meeting Agenda was as follows:

• 2018 results
• XIV General Assembly of the Northern Forum in 2020
• Chairmanship of the Russian Federation in the Arctic Council (AC), and preparation of proposals for the chairmanship’s plan:
  • To consider the possibility of creating a Committee for preparation of AC events in Russian Federation during its chairmanship (Arctic Hosting Committee)
  • To consider the possibility of holding significant AC events in the northern and Arctic regions of the Russian Federation
• Northern Forum’s events:
  • Northern Sustainable Development Forum – September 24-28, 2019
  • Breakout session «Regional Cooperation in development of Entrepreneurship and Innovations in the Arctic» within the framework of the Arctic Circle Assembly – October 10-11, 2019
  • Youth Eco-forum – 2019 – October, 2019

Adopted resolutions:

• Resolution #207 / On the composition of the Board of Governors
• Resolution #208 / On approval of the Northern Forum activity report for 2018
• Resolution #209 / On XIV General Assembly of the Northern Forum
• Resolution # 210 / On approval of the Northern Forum Development Strategy for the period up to 2030