The Caucasian Investment Forum – 2025 has ended in Mineralnye Vody

The Caucasian Investment Forum, which was attended by more than 4,000 people, including heads and representatives of federal and regional authorities, businessmen, experts, and journalists from leading media outlets from Russia, CIS countries, and the Caspian Five, has ended in Mineralnye Vody. A total of 4,100 people from 32 countries, including Russia, took part in the forum. The business program included 78 events with the participation of over 430 speakers. At CIF-2025, 86 agreements totaling 206.833 billion rubles were signed (agreements whose amount is not a trade secret are taken into account), including five agreements with foreign companies. The area of the KIF-2025 exhibition for the first time amounted to more than 10 thousand square meters, including outdoor open space. The Caucasus Investment Forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

The theme of this year's Caucasian Investment Forum is "The Investment Path: Past, Present, and Future." The central event of the CIF-2025 business program was the plenary session, which was attended by Alexander Novak, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation and Curator of the North Caucasus Federal District.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the development of the North Caucasus has been the focus of special attention of the President and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation for many years.

"The North Caucasus is a geostrategic region with huge development potential. We know and understand its main advantages.: These are natural resources, a wonderful climate, a unique geographical location with the possibility of developing transport and logistics centers and transport corridors. This is, of course, human capital. If we talk about the future of the North Caucasus, the region has every opportunity to reach a new stage of its development and achieve success in all sectors. On the part of the Government of the Russian Federation, we will do our best to ensure that the North Caucasus Federal District is a safe, comfortable region where we would like to live and where we would like to come," Alexander Novak said in his speech.

The business program events also discussed the development of domestic tourism, the agro-industrial complex, transport infrastructure, various industries, energy, banking, international cooperation, the humanitarian agenda and other areas that ensure sustainable economic growth in the North Caucasus Federal District regions. Special attention was paid to the issue of education and training, which was the subject of a number of sessions where experts discussed issues related to the development and implementation of new educational programs in higher education institutions aimed at training in-demand specialists, as well as strengthening the importance of retraining.

Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the KIF-2025 Organizing Committee, noted that the rise of the North Caucasus Federal District is a multifaceted task focused on progress in the social and economic spheres of the region, encompassing both economic growth and the development of the well-being of residents. "The state supports this process, including through the implementation of the state program for the Development of the North Caucasus Federal District. The holding of the investment forum in the North Caucasus allows us to systematize the work of business together with the state to jointly implement the goals and objectives set by the head of state and aimed at improving the lives of citizens and developing business activity in the region," he said.

A meeting of the intergovernmental commission on socio-economic cooperation between Russia and South Ossetia, as well as a meeting of the government commission on socio-economic development of the North Caucasus Federal District with the participation of Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, took place at CIF-2025.

The business activity of the business community of the North Caucasus regions is expressed in the number and amounts of agreements signed within the framework of the Caucasian Investment Forum. The total amount amounted to 206.833 billion rubles, which was a record for the years of the CIF. As part of the KIF-2025 main exhibition, 21 stands of regions and countries, as well as commercial companies operating in the North Caucasus Federal District, were presented. The Republic of Dagestan, the Republic of Chechnya, the Republic of Ingushetia, the Republic of North Ossetia—Alania, the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, the Stavropol Territory, as well as the republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Adygea will present their investment projects. The central area of the exhibition was the joint stand of the Kavkaz.RF Development Institute. It presented plans for the further development of resorts in the North Caucasus and key investment projects in the macroregion.

One of the important accents at the KIF-2025 exhibition was the preservation of historical memory in the context of the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War. The issue of countering the distortion of history in the context of global information policy was raised at the sessions.

As part of the program, a solemn ceremony was held to award the winners of the II All-Russian Investment Award "Vershina". Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, opened the ceremony, noting the importance of the award for stimulating investment activity in the country.

During the KIF-2025, an extensive cultural and excursion program to cultural institutions of the Stavropol Territory was prepared for the guests and participants of the forum. The Lermontov Museum, the Essentuki Museum of Local Lore, the Zheleznovodsk Museum of Local Lore, the Kislovodsk Fortress Museum, as well as the estate museums of prominent figures of Russian culture Nikolai Yaroshenko and Fyodor Chaliapin were available for visiting. A highlight of the cultural program was an excursion route to the Lermontov sites in the city of Pyatigorsk.

President of the Russian Wrestling Federation, Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling Mikhail Mamiashvili, Olympic champion in judo Beslan Mudranov, Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling Murat Kardanov, Minister of Sports of the Republic of Dagestan, Olympic medalist in freestyle wrestling Sazhid Sazhidov, Tamerlan Tmenov and many other representatives of Russian martial arts. They also attended the Loko Cup children's judo team tournament. Eight teams made up of athletes born in 2011-2012 from Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia—Alania, Chechnya, Adygea and Stavropol Territory competed for the victory.