An extended meeting of the heads of government of the CIS countries was held in Moscow

On Monday it took place in Moscow extended meeting heads of government of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – the prime ministers devoted the meeting to cultural and humanitarian cooperation, but also touched upon economic topics. Among the named priorities are joint production projects, reducing barriers to trade, attracting investment and developing transport corridors. A significant step in the generally unhurried integration of the CIS was the noted agreement on free trade in services and investments – it has already been signed and is now being prepared for ratification by parliaments.

The heads of delegations of the CIS states (expectedly except for representatives of Ukraine, which remains in the Commonwealth only formally, and Moldova, which has already denounced 22 Commonwealth agreements since the beginning of the year) began to gather in Moscow on Saturday. The guests were treated to a “celebratory” program: a visit to a chocolate factory, and on Monday, to the “Russia” exhibition. Only after this did the prime ministers and their deputies begin to work on working issues.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin noted that in 2024 the chairmanship in the CIS will pass to Russia (this year it will go to Kyrgyzstan). The priorities are “deepening economic interaction, expanding cultural and humanitarian ties, connecting Eurasian integration projects.” The head of the Russian Ministry of Economy, Maxim Reshetnikov, added to them the development of an independent financial infrastructure in the CIS and the continuation of the transition to settlements in national currencies.

Although the main topic of the meeting was cultural and humanitarian cooperation (a joint statement was signed on it), the economy could not be avoided.

Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko stated the need to promote “end-to-end integration projects” within the CIS, proposing to use the experience of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in terms of launching cooperation projects and programs for their financing (we are talking about subsidizing loans for such initiatives, see below). “Kommersant” from October 27). He proposed using joint scientific, technological and financial potential, among other things, to introduce digital technologies and provide access to government procurement. Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov added that reducing dependence on imported components in the overall CIS economy can only be achieved through the implementation of such joint innovation and investment projects.

According to the results of nine months of 2023, the Belarusian Prime Minister said, the GDP of the CIS countries grew by more than 2% in annual terms (according to the Ministry of Economy of the Russian Federation, the growth was 3.2%), the volume of industrial production – by 3.4%, cargo transportation – by 6%, retail trade volume – by 5%.

On Monday, at the meeting, the intention to remove obstacles in mutual trade, work on liberalizing the service sector and attracting investment was reaffirmed.

Let us recall that in June an agreement on free trade in services and investments in the CIS was signed (it is now being prepared for ratification), which should provide access to investors from the signatory countries to the markets of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by providing them with national treatment. It also provides guarantees for the protection of capital investments within the Commonwealth (see. “Kommersant” from December 12). Akylbek Japarov emphasized that in addition to expanding mutual trade in services and improving investment cooperation, it is necessary to “take joint measures to minimize various barriers and checks at the border, develop existing and form new transport corridors.”

Evgenia Kryuchkova