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Leadership in Action: What the Russian Federation has achieved during its year of CIS chairmanship
Total GDP growth of all countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2024 is projected to be higher than the global rate - it is expected to be 4.7%. This was announced by Vladimir Putin on December 25 at the traditional informal meeting of heads of CIS member states. The share of national currencies in commercial settlements between the countries of the association has already exceeded 85%. Trade turnover is also increasing: Russia's trade with CIS countries increased by 10.6% and amounted to more than $93 billion. Almost all CIS leaders gathered at the informal summit, except for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who fell ill with a coronavirus, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. He turned his plane around on the way to St. Petersburg because of the crash with a passenger airplane on the same day.
Why CIS leaders met near St. Petersburg
December 25, Vladimir Putin held a traditional informal summit of CIS leaders. This communication of heads of state can be called a long-standing tradition: informal meetings of leaders have been held for decades. Vladimir Putin has been participating in them since the first year of his presidency. Such events are characterized by a free agenda: there are no plans, schedules and clear topics for negotiations. Politicians exchange opinions on the problems that interest them most.
It is noteworthy that the practice of holding such summits at the end of December in St. Petersburg has recently developed. This year was no exception. However, this time the informal summit was held not in the Northern Capital itself, but not far away - on the site of the Igora skiing complex. This is the first all-season resort in northwestern Russia. The press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov explained to journalists the choice of such a venue: during the informal summits of the CIS, Vladimir Putin tries to show his colleagues interesting places not only in St. Petersburg, but also in the vicinity of the city. For example, in 2023, the Russian leader prepared a rich cultural program for the CIS guests - excursions to the main palace ensembles of the Northern Capital. This time they will also have a cultural program and memorable gifts, said Dmitry Peskov. However, he did not disclose the details.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at an informal meeting of CIS heads of state at the Igora resort, December 25, 2024.
Leaders of the CIS countries gathered in the Igora Olympic Hall at a round table, where the start of the summit was given. However, the festive New Year's Eve event was overshadowed by a tragic event - a passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines crashed in Aktau, the plane was traveling from Baku to Grozny. According to preliminary data of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan, there were more than 60 passengers and five crew members on board. Of them 37 citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 - the Russian Federation, six - Kazakhstan, three - Kyrgyzstan. Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office reported more than 30 survivors. Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev, right on the flight to St. Petersburg, decided to return to Baku because of the accident. He declared December 26 a day of mourning in the country in connection with the plane crash.
- I spoke with Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev, who was almost on the spot, but had to turn around and return to Baku, bearing in mind that the plane belonged to the Azerbaijani airline. I repeat once again, let us hope for the speedy recovery of the victims. And, of course, I am sure a thorough investigation will be carried out. We will coordinate the work of our special aviation services on all issues related to this tragedy," Vladimir Putin addressed the guests, opening the summit.
He said that by agreement with Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, who also flew to St. Petersburg that day, a Russian Emergencies Ministry plane has already left for Aktau with medics on board and the necessary equipment. It is possible that Putin will personally discuss the plane crash near Aktau with Tokayev, as the Kazakh vis-a-vis is participating in the summit in person, Dmitry Peskov said.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Uzbek leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon have also arrived in Russia. The latter, by the way, arrived in Russia yesterday for separate bilateral talks with Vladimir Putin. Apart from Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinin, who was supposed to come to Russia for two days, was absent at the traditional meeting. But on the morning of December 25, it became known that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. His speech was scheduled for the next day, December 26, here in Igor - at the meeting of the EAEU Supreme Economic Council. Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that the Armenian Prime Minister would still take part in the EAEU summit via videoconference.
There are 11 countries in the CIS: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. At the same time, as Vladimir Putin noted earlier, Moldova and Ukraine have long been de facto nominal participants and are not involved in the work of the association.
What the CIS has succeeded in during the year of Russia's presidency
The open part of the informal summit consisted only in Vladimir Putin's opening speech. Even the closed part did not last long - the leaders soon left the meeting room. The Russian leader focused on the main results of the Russian presidency in the CIS. He recalled that Moscow's priority attention on the platform was given to economic interaction, ensuring freedom of movement of goods and services, and eliminating trade barriers.
Thus, macroeconomic indicators have noticeably improved. The growth of the total gross domestic product of all Commonwealth countries is expected to reach 4.7% by the end of the year, which is higher than the world average, said Vladimir Putin. In addition, the share of national currencies in commercial transactions between the CIS countries exceeds 85%, and the CIS countries are increasingly using their own payment systems. 10 years ago the share of national currencies was less than 15%, and in 2023 it will be 76%, economist Valery Korneev told Izvestia.
- First of all, when making settlements in national currencies, business avoids passing money in dollars or euros through correspondent accounts in the U.S. or Europe, as all settlements in these currencies must necessarily pass through the appropriate Western banking structures," the economist explained. - The use of national currencies saves our companies money, as dollars and euros can be blocked for any made-up reason, for example, referring to more than 40 thousand sanctions that were imposed against us. And you may never get that money back. And in addition to this, personal restrictions can be imposed on the heads of companies both sending money and receiving it. With settlements in national currencies, these risks are eliminated.
Over 10 months, industrial production has already increased by 4.3%, the volume of cargo transportation - by 7.4%, retail trade turnover - by 7.7%, added Vladimir Putin. Russia's trade turnover with CIS states in January-October increased by 10.6% and amounted to more than $93 billion, the Russian leader said. "In addition, import substitution processes are proceeding at a rapid pace and thus strengthening the technological sovereignty of our states," he added.
Other areas include stepping up cooperation in the fight against extremism, cross-border crime and drug trafficking. According to Vladimir Putin, daily operations and contacts have already been established by law enforcement agencies.
The Russian president advocated the creation of an international association of volunteer and non-profit organizations under the CIS and proposed to make annual forums of volunteers of the countries. At the same time, separate grants could be introduced for the most significant projects. The same themes will obviously be continued by Tajikistan, which will assume the chairmanship of the association from January 1, 2025, experts believe.
- Next year Tajikistan will have to solve many tasks formulated this year by Russia. As 30 years of the CIS existence have shown, integration has been most successful precisely in Central Asia, so it will be necessary to use the experience of Tajikistan, one of the most active countries of the former USSR in Russian integration projects," says Evgeny Semibratov, Deputy Director of ISIP PFUR.
One of the most important topics of the next year will obviously be the preparation for the anniversary of the Great Victory - the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War. The President of Russia, taking the opportunity, once again personally invited the CIS leaders to the celebrations to be held in Moscow in 2025.
- The Commonwealth countries remember and sacredly honor the immortal feat of our peoples, the peoples of the entire Soviet Union, who, fighting shoulder to shoulder, forged victory in the Great Patriotic War. Next year will mark a significant anniversary - the 80th anniversary of the Victory, and in the CIS this year has been proclaimed the Year of Peace and Unity in the Fight against Nazism," Vladimir Putin said.
Russia expects that military bands from the CIS countries will be able to take part in the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9.
