'Primakov Readings' Forum launched in Moscow for tenth time

Russian flag. Wikimedia Commons.

Moscow, 25 June, 2024- The 10th International Forum "Primakov Readings" began on Tuesday at the World Trade Center in Moscow. The main topic of discussion of the anniversary event is "Russia in the Global Context".

"The West miscalculated its ability to isolate our economy. Sanctions against Russia only strengthen ties between the countries of the Global South, BRICS, SCO, and EAEU. All this creates obstacles on the trajectory of fragmentation of the world economy. There is a growing feeling that experts in the West understand Russian realities less and less. That is why we decided to focus this year on the theme of Russia in the world," noted Alexander Dynkin, Deputy Chairman of the Forum's Organizing Committee and President of IMEMO.

This year, the event will be attended by more than 50 leading foreign experts in the field of international security, world politics and economy from 30 countries, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Georgia, India, China, USA, Uzbekistan, and Switzerland.

In general, more than 1,000 representatives of Russian and foreign scientific and expert community, government agencies, political and business circles are expected to participate in the forum. The Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors of India, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Bangladesh, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Finland, Oman, Serbia, as well as Advisers and representatives of the Embassies of Brazil, Argentina, France, Belarus, Cuba, the Republic of Korea and Nigeria have confirmed their participation in the "Primakov Readings".

During the two-day "Primakov Readings" event, six working sessions are planned, as well as the traditional speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov. "It is expected that during his speech, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will present the Russian vision of main trends in the world development and provide clarifications on topical aspects of Russian foreign policy," said Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, at a briefing on June 19.

The participants of the Forum will be addressed with a welcoming speech by the Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Yuri Ushakov, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev, and the President of Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO) Alexander Dynkin. Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk is also expected to address the Forum.

The discussions at the Anniversary Forum will focus on the role of BRICS in shaping a new global economic architecture, vectors of interaction between the countries of Greater Eurasia, the polycentric nature of the emerging world order in the military-strategic sphere, the impact of modern crises on the future contours of European security, the possibilities of the Russian economy, as well as the role of culture in international relations.

This year, the Forum will be dedicated to the memory of Evgeny Maksimovich Primakov, whose 95th birthday will be celebrated this autumn. In light of this event, the main conference program will open with a session dedicated to the scientific and political legacy of Primakov.

"The 'Primakov Readings' set the highest bar for other discussion platforms, and not only Russian ones. This is Russia's national heritage, and the importance of this platform for active dialogue between participants from various countries shall not be underestimated," emphasized Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, at a press conference at TASS on June 18.

The 10th International Primakov Readings Expert Forum will be held on June 25-26 in Moscow at the World Trade Center venue. As a tradition, Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, will deliver a keynote speech. The Forum will bring together guests from 18 countries, including: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Germany, Georgia, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, China, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, the USA, Uzbekistan, and Switzerland.

Their participation in the Primakov Readings has been confirmed by the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India, Brazil, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Bangladesh, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Advisers from the Embassies of Argentina and France.

About the Primakov Readings Forum

The International Expert Forum Primakov Readings is an annual discussion platform for addressing issues of the global economy, politics, and security, which brings together leading representatives from Russian and foreign research centers and think tanks. The Forum was first held in 2015 and is named after Evgeny Maksimovich Primakov, a Russian scholar and statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Russia (1998-1999).

A regular participant in the conference is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov. In different years, the Forum has hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko and other Russian officials. Among foreign participants the Forum there were Alexander Kwasniewski, President of Poland (1995-2005), Wolfgang Schüssel, Federal Chancellor of Austria (2000-2007), Javier Solana, NATO Secretary General (1995-1999), and other high-ranking international representatives. In 2017, as part of the Forum, a special session was held with the participation of the former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

The organizers of the event are the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Primakov Center for International Cooperation, the World Trade Center Moscow, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.

Link to the Event website: https://en.primakovreadings.ru/

- Press release