Dear Forum participants!

On behalf of the State Duma of the Russian Federation as one of the organizers of the All-Russian Forum "Strategic Planning in The Regions and Cities of Russia: Resources for Development," I welcome participants met at regular Forum which is aimed at expert discussion of the mechanisms for addressing priority tasks of achieving a balanced social and economic development of Russian regions.

Main topic of the Forum in 2011 - "Resources for Development" - suggests a professional consideration of finding new sources for development, their priority orientations and methods of their efficient use under the conditions of post-crisis territorial development, along with improvement of mechanisms stimulating economic growth and efficiency of social services.

The State Duma pays special attention to creating a legislative environment for the strategic development of Russian regions. Last year, we adopted the Federal Law "On Amendments to the Urban Development Code of the Russian Federation and separate legislative acts of the Russian Federation." Besides, the State Duma adopted in first reading a number of bills that create the conditions for balanced economic and social development of the Federation: "On  regional territorial development zones in the Russian Federation", "On the foundations of cross-border cooperation." This legislative work will be continued.

Traditionally, under the Forum’s frameworks we will draw up the results of the contest of regional strategies and programs of socio-economic development of the subjects of the Federation, which is annually supported by the State Duma. The Contest promotes the wide dissemination of best practices of strategic planning in the regions, identification and outspread of new successful approaches to the formation of regional programs on improving investment attractiveness, creation of conditions for business, and life quality improvement.

I wish all the participants of the X Forum on Strategic Planning in the regions and cities in Russia fruitful work and success!
 

 

Boris V. Gryzlov,

Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
 

Greeting
 

I welcome the organizers and participants of the X All-Russian forum "Strategic Planning in Regions and Cities of Russia"!

Ministry of Finance is actively involved in organizing the Forum, recognizing its great significance for promoting the best standards and technologies of strategic planning in cities and regions.

This year Forum will be held for the tenth time. This affords ground for a sober appraisal of the past decade in terms of successes and failures of strategic plans implementation at various levels. In this aspect, the interaction and coordination of socio-economic and budgetary planning is supremely important. Only at the federal level, there are now 193 effective strategic documents and concepts adopted by the Russian President and Government of the Russian Federation. Another 83 are under development, other 30 are in the pipeline. It is very difficult to make all these documents consistent and balanced. To accomplish this we need to identify and rigorously organise our priorities, among which are investment climate in Russia in general and regions in particular, condition of institutions, macroeconomic balance, and inflation rate.

The choice of the core theme of the anniversary Forum identified by the organizers as "Resources for Development" seems to be reasonable and timely. Activation of new, innovative resources and effective use of traditional ones is also one of our today priorities.

I wish the Forum success!

Alexei L. Kudrin,

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation

Greeting
 

I welcome the organizers, participants and guests of the anniversary X All-Russian Forum "Strategic Planning in Regions and Cities of Russia: Resources for Development"!

Forum is being held since 2002 and over the period of its existence established itself as a leading Russian platform for constructive discussion of peculiarities of effective system of strategic planning of socio-economic development in the subjects of the Russian Federation and municipalities, for search of adequate responses to the challenges of the modern world and providing information about best practices experience.

Taking the Forum’s 2011 anniversary into account the relevant issues of strategic planning in the Russian Federation in ten-year retrospective will be discussed, as well as it is planned to evaluate the successes and failures, and draw conclusions for the future. acknowledged leaders of territorial strategic planning will give master classes, representing experience in creating sustainable and effective planning systems.

Long overdue problems of finding new sources for development, increasing the return on resources and enhancing their quality have become the main theme of the Forum 2011. Principally, it is referred to attracting a wider human capital, management and technological resources. Here, inter alia, aspects of cost-effective use of resources and support “green technologies” implementation through application of modern environmental standards are extremely relevant. This should be reflected in development strategies at all levels.

Crucially that upgraded Russia’s strategy as a basis for an integrated system of strategic planning in the country is to become a substantial foundation binding all above listed directions.
This path requires a comprehensive exchange of opinions which provides a search for effective solutions for the further development of the Russian Federation, its regions and municipalities. I invite representatives of all branches of government, experts, NGOs and businesses to the interested dialogue.

I have confidence that within the Forum productive discussions with the further defining of the concrete prospects for cooperation and collaboration will take place that will help to take a big step towards a balanced socio-economic development and growth of life quality in Russia.

Dear friends, I wish you fruitful and effective work at numerous Forum’s events, interesting contacts and useful acquaintances! See you at the Forum!

Victor F. Basargin,

Minister of Regional Development of the Russian Federation

Greeting