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Extended SPIEF program with sustainable development as key topic has been revealed

The program consists of four thematic blocks

MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. The extended business program of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum scheduled for June 6-8, 2019 containing the sessions’ brief descriptions has been posted on the Forum’s official website, press service of Russia's Roscongress Foundation, the organizer of the forum, said in a statement on Tuesday. The key topic of the Forum is ‘Creating a Sustainable Development Agenda’.

The program consists of four thematic blocks. The first bloc dubbed ‘The Global Economy in Search of a Balance’ features sessions on the most topical issues of global macroeconomic development, including changes in the structure of the world economy and trade in the era of digitalization, competition and regulation on the consumer market, balance of commercial goals and the objectives of sustainable development in business. Several sessions will be devoted to the impact of climate change on the development of today’s world, conservation of the World Ocean and ecotourism.

The next bloc named ‘The Russian Economy: Achieving National Development Goals’ will focus on ways to stimulate economic growth as a basis for achieving national development goals. The sessions will look at topics such as attracting investment into national projects, the quality of the investment environment, protection of investors' rights and promotion of high-tech Russian exports.

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Sessions within the ‘Technologies Shaping the Future’ track will concentrate on the opportunities and challenges implied by the development of technology and digital transformation of the economy. Development of artificial intelligence and cyberthreats, digitalization of certain sectors of the economy, as well as international cooperation in science, will be discussed.

Finally, the ‘People First’ pillar will host sessions on the role of education and staff training for the economy of the future, the importance of social communication for sustainable development goals, equality of opportunity in the era of the digital economy and use of technology for transforming health and other areas of human life.

Moreover, a number of country business dialogues will be held to discuss bilateral economic cooperation between Russian business representatives and participants from Austria, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Sweden and African nations.

The B20 (Business Twenty) Regional Consultation Forum, the Russian-Chinese Energy Business Forum, the World Energy Council session, the Valdai Club session, the International Youth Economic Forum, the SCO Conference, the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Forum, and the BRICS Conference will also make up part of the Forum.

SPIEF has been held since 1997, and it has become a leading global platform for members of the business community to meet and discuss the key economic issues facing Russia, emerging markets, and the world as a whole.

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