The 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) opened in Russia’s second-largest city on 18th June 18 and will run till 21st June. The Forum will bring together all parties to explore effective approaches to addressing global challenges.

This year’s opening session on the forum’s theme – “Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World” was  held on 19th June. The session saw the participation of HRH Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; HE Lazar Comanescu, Secretary General, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation; HE Le Thanh Long, Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, HE Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and HE Dilma Rousseff, President, New Development Bank. The session was moderated by Hadley Gamble, Chief International Anchor, IMI. The speakers shed light on building a multi-polar world based on common values.

Sharing details of the conference Anton Kobyakov, adviser to the Russian president and executive secretary of the SPIEF Organizing Committee said that nearly 20,000 representatives from 140 countries and regions and heads of several international organisations have confirmed their participation in this year’s forum.

This forum is held when the global economy is facing severe challenges. It is poised to be a platform for discussing issues ranging from accelerating digitalization to addressing climate change and formulating specific, practical solutions that can adapt the global economy to new conditions.

The forum includes more than 150 events, with entrepreneurs from Russia, China, the United States, Türkiye, Brazil, Oman, Vietnam, India, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, African and Latin American countries, and the European Union and Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states engaged in business talks.

Russian President HE Vladimir Putin will attend a plenary session and deliver a speech on Friday. Established in 1997, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is an essential platform for discussing global economic governance and fostering international consensus on cooperation. Since 2006, it has been held under the auspices of the Russian president, who has also attended each event. SPIEF is organised by the Roscongress Foundation.