Full business programme and list of speakers published for Caucasus Investment Forum

The full business programme of the Caucasus Investment Forum, which will be held from 25 to 27 May in Mineralnye Vody, has been published on the official website of the event together with a full list of the speakers scheduled to take part. The main theme of the Forum is ‘Investment Path: Past. Present. Future’. The business programme includes more than 50 events and will culminate in a plenary session with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak. CIF 2025 will also host a meeting of the Government Commission on the Socio-Economic Development of the North Caucasus Federal District. The Forum is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

“The Caucasus Investment Forum is a platform for the federal and regional authorities to engage in effective, open dialogue with the heads of Russian and international companies, development institutions, and banks. The CIF is helping build a more favorable investment climate in the North Caucasus Federal District and strengthen regional and international economic, scientific, and socio-cultural ties. I am sure that this year’s exciting programme will attract guests from all across the country and individuals from abroad who are interested in working with Russia,” Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak said.

CIF 2025 is an important step on the road to developing new strategies for the sustainable development of Russia’s regions and a place where regional investment potential can be discussed along with alternative methods of attracting capital, such as partnership financing and Islamic financial models, aimed at mitigating economic sanctions and stimulating the growth of the domestic economy.

“By many measures, the North Caucasus Federal District is among the country’s top regions. The Russian Government’s Strategy for the Socio-Economic Development of the North Caucasus Federal District, currently being implemented, defines the main directions, ways, and means of achieving strategic sustainable development goals and ensuring national security. I have no doubt that this year’s Caucasus Investment Forum will benefit the development of the North Caucasus Federal District as it has in the past by creating a place where new ideas and investment projects ensuring the prosperity of our country and its future inhabitants can come to life,” Advisor to the Russian President and Executive Secretary of the CIF 2025 Organizing Committee Anton Kobyakov said.

The Caucasus Investment Forum business programme consists of panel discussions, roundtables, and debates on a wide range of issues related to the development of the investment potential of Russia’s regions ranging from energy, transport and logistics, tourism, agribusiness, and healthcare to international cooperation, entrepreneurship, and social initiatives. Forum participants will include representatives of the tourism business, the agro-industrial complex, transport and logistics and construction companies, and the banking sector from the North Caucasus, the Southern Federal District, CIS, and the Caspian and Black Sea basins.

CIF 2025 will be attended by the heads of the Russian regions of North Ossetia – Alania, Stavropol, Astrakhan, federal agencies and state corporations, and representatives of the federal and regional governments, the business community, experts, and opinion leaders. Participants will include: Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) Grigory Gurov, Head of Roskachestvo Maxim Protasov, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District Yury Chaika, CEO of Kavkaz.RF Andrey Yumshanov, Director of the Association of Clusters, Technoparks and SEZs of Russia Mikhail Labudin, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Sergey Nazarov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Dmitry Volvach, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Ivan Kulikov, Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation Alexey Yeresko, and Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation Dmitry Platygin among others. The full list of discussion speakers and participants can be found on the official website of the Caucasus Investment Forum.

The CIF 2025 business programme will focus special attention on the role of the North Caucasus as a strategic transport hub connecting Eurasia, India, and the Middle East via the North-South Corridor, with Forum participants learning about projects to develop the infrastructure in the region and transforming it into a key export hub for Russia.

The Forum will also address issues related to the management of human resources and how to adapt educational programmes to match regional needs, engage young people and local specialists in major investment projects, and train qualified personnel capable of meeting modern challenges.

A separate block dedicated to the modernization of public services and the adoption of new technologies in governance will look to tackle the topic of digitalization, with experts discussing the integration of digital solutions into public administration, the electronic management of documentation, and the use of artificial intelligence to improve government efficiency.

CIF 2025 will shine an important light on the preservation of historical memory in the context of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, with sessions to discuss how to deal with global policies seeking to distort our historical heritage.

The CIF 2025 programme also includes sessions on the media industry and the development of the creative industries, with geo-branding, PR strategies, marketing trends, and effective methods of interaction between business and government agencies at the centre of attention.

The Forum will also devote time to the topic of tourism. Participants will discuss innovative new tourist routes and eco-routes aimed at a younger demographic and preserving the natural heritage of the Caucasus. Promising agribusiness and agrotourism projects will also be presented at CIF 2025.

The first day of the Caucasus Investment Forum will feature an exciting programme of youth events. CIF 2025 will include a ceremony for the winners of the Second Vershina (Apex) Investment Award, established to recognize outstanding investment projects, organizations, and individuals contributing to the development of the investment potential and economic growth of Russia’s regions. CIF participants and guests will be treated to a full programme of cultural, sporting, and culinary activities reflecting the rich heritage of the North Caucasus.

Get all the latest news about the Caucasus Investment Forum on the official website of the event, forumkavkaz.org, and its social media channels on Telegram and VKontakte.