Concept for the Further Development of the CIS: Strategy for the Economic Development of the CIS for the period up to 2030

On 1 January 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following paper and announced it will provide the guidance for its CIS Presidency for its term. It will be useful to those wanting to know what Russia’s plans are for 2024 and how they interact with its BRICS+ Presidency, the plans for which have already been published and can be found here.

The chairmanship of the Russian Federation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, Commonwealth) will be carried out in accordance with the Concept for the Further Development of the CIS, approved by the decision of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS dated December 18, 2020, the Strategy for the Economic Development of the CIS for the period up to 2030, adopted by the decision of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS dated May 29, 2020, as well as other fundamental and program documents of the Commonwealth.

The chairmanship will be aimed at ensuring continuity in the activities of the Commonwealth and achieving the following goals:

further strengthening of the CIS as an integration association, increasing its international authority, development of cooperation between the Commonwealth and other international organizations, as well as interested states;

enhancing the role of the CIS as a representative platform for multilateral political dialogue on a wide range of topics, including the coordination of foreign policy activities and the promotion of joint international initiatives, and the development of the parliamentary dimension of the Commonwealth;

deepening economic integration, including in the context of creating a common economic space, interaction in the field of energy, industrial and agro-industrial cooperation, digitalization, transport and communications, ecology and climate protection, scientific, technical and innovative cooperation;

improvement of mechanisms for joint counteraction to traditional and new challenges and threats to the security of the CIS member states, strengthening cooperation in the military sphere and in the field of border security;

expansion of cultural and humanitarian cooperation;

aligning the activities of the Commonwealth with other integration formats in the Eurasian space in order to form the Greater Eurasian Partnership as a broad integration contour that unites the potential of all states and organizations in the region;

improvement of the legal framework and institutions of cooperation within the CIS.

In the sphere of foreign policy cooperation, special attention will be paid to strengthening the positive image of the CIS as a developing integration association in the international arena and its adaptation to the new architecture of the multipolar world order. Efforts will be aimed at developing consolidated approaches of the member states on topical global and regional issues, their joint promotion at international platforms, primarily at the UN. The practice of adopting joint statements by the CIS states and holding multi-level inter-ministerial consultations on a wide range of issues will continue.

An important area of activity will be the "external" positioning of the CIS, the development of its relations with friendly states, international organizations and associations, in particular, with the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the BRICS interstate association, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum and others.

In order to form a single legal space, emphasis will be placed on supporting the work of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States, increasing its international authority, and strengthening ties with other parliamentary associations. It is planned to actively develop other formats of legal cooperation within the CIS, as well as mechanisms of interaction between judicial, law enforcement and other bodies on issues of mutual legal assistance and ensuring the legal protection of personal, property and non-property rights of citizens.

In the trade and economic sphere, priority will be given to the implementation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the first stage (2021-2025) of the CIS Economic Development Strategy for the period up to 2030, the further development of a free trade zone, building the potential of multilateral mechanisms of economic cooperation and stimulating business activity, deepening cooperation in the customs sphere, conducting a coordinated antimonopoly policy and ensuring fair conditions competition, wide application of innovations.

Work will be carried out to expand mutual trade in services and increase the level of its liberalization within the framework of the Agreement on Free Trade in Services, the establishment, activities and implementation of investments of June 8, 2023, the creation of a favorable investment climate for the implementation of investment and infrastructure projects, entrepreneurial initiatives, including youth ones, increasing the involvement of national economies and economic entities from the CIS countries in Eurasian production and transport and logistics chains. Particular attention will be paid to the issues of import substitution and the expansion of commodity exchanges, as well as to the economic aspects of the climate agenda.

Russia's priorities are also to minimise the negative consequences of the use of unilateral coercive measures by individual states and their associations that violate the norms of international law.

Efforts will continue to align the activities of the CIS and the Eurasian Economic Union, bring their legal framework closer together, and expand contacts between the CIS Executive Committee and the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The priority tasks in the energy sector during Russia's chairmanship will be: ensuring energy security; efficient use of energy resources and opportunities for international trade in energy resources to increase the competitiveness of national economies; ensuring the scientific and technological development of the sectors of the fuel and energy complex of the CIS member states; development of low-carbon energy; deepening cooperation in the field of training specialists.

Based on the great transit potential of the Eurasian region, the Priority Areas of Cooperation of the CIS Member States in the Field of Transport for the Period up to 2030 will be implemented, including with the aim of developing the Trans-Eurasian logistics corridors "East-West", "North-South" and the ITC "Siberia-South": "Siberia/Urals - Central Asia - South Asia/Persian Gulf".

In order to strengthen the financial sovereignty of the CIS states, efforts will be aimed at expanding the use of national currencies in mutual settlements and the formation of a settlement infrastructure independent of third parties, including the establishment of direct correspondent links between banking organizations and the integration of cross-border payment mechanisms. It is also planned to work out the practical aspects of ensuring uninterrupted servicing of foreign trade contracts, digitalization of financial markets and payment infrastructure, expansion of cooperation in the field of payment and settlement relations, including in terms of organizing mutual acceptance of national payment cards.

It is planned to promote industrial cooperation, the creation of new high-tech industries, the accelerated development and modernization of industrial production in the CIS member states, its technological renewal, and an increase in the volume of production and export of competitive, innovative and science-intensive products with a high share of added value.

It is planned to promote the formation of a single agro-industrial market in the CIS in order to ensure the uninterrupted supply of high-quality food products to the CIS countries and to achieve leading positions in the field of food security, to build up scientific, technical and innovative potential in the agro-industrial complex, and to expand mutual supplies of agricultural machinery.

In the environmental sphere, it is planned to pay attention to the issues of environmental protection and rational use of natural resources, the introduction of "green" and "transitional" technologies, the management of water and forest resources, and the conservation of biodiversity; climate change; creation and maintenance of transboundary and specially protected natural areas; exchange of experience in the field of waste management; approximation of environmental legislation of the CIS countries.

In the field of digitalization and information and communication technologies, efforts will continue to form a digital society, develop a digital business space, artificial intelligence technologies, support the systematic development of digital and geodetic infrastructure, improve services providing electronic services, as well as digital public administration.

In the field of information security, emphasis will be placed on building up comprehensive cooperation between the CIS member states, including in order to promote joint approaches and initiatives
at the global level, primarily at the UN.

Mechanisms for joint counteraction to traditional and new challenges and threats, such as terrorism, extremism, transnational crime, legalization (laundering) of proceeds of crime, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, firearms, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices, will continue to be strengthened. Particular attention will be paid to the implementation of the Interstate Program of Joint Measures to Combat Crime for 2024-2028, the Program of Cooperation of the CIS Member States in the Fight against Terrorism and Extremism for 2023-2025 and other sectoral documents, as well as the launch of the activities of the International Center for Risk Assessment of the Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds from Crime and the Financing of Terrorism. It is planned to increase the potential for interaction between the CIS on these issues and the relevant structures of the UN, the CSTO, the SCO, as well as other organizations and associations. The practice of conducting joint operations to identify and suppress drug trafficking and firearms trafficking will continue. In the field of biological safety, efforts will be aimed at strengthening the system for monitoring biological risks, developing common principles and approaches in responding to them, and exchanging information.

In the field of prevention and response to emergency situations, special attention will be paid to the monitoring and forecasting of natural disasters and industrial accidents.

Based on the provisions of the Concept of Military Cooperation until 2025 and the Program of Cooperation in Strengthening Border Security at the External Borders for 2021-2025, it is planned to deepen cooperation in the military and military-technical fields. Efforts will be focused on the implementation of long-term programs adopted in the CIS for the development of joint military systems, expanding cooperation on military professional training of military personnel, military education, science, culture, sports and other areas of multilateral military cooperation. Considerable attention will be paid to joint work in the field of military-patriotic education and the popularization of common spiritual and moral values.

The implementation of the Concept of Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation of the CIS Member States until 2030 will be continued in order to strengthen the socio-economic, cultural and humanitarian potential of the regions of the CIS countries. In the field of inter-municipal cooperation, assistance will be provided to local self-government bodies in establishing partnerships with municipalities of other CIS states, intensifying ties between sister cities, and implementing international programs of inter-municipal cooperation.

In the scientific, technical and educational spheres, special attention will be paid to the implementation of the Interstate Program of Innovative Cooperation of the CIS Member States for the period up to 2030, the Concept of Scientific, Technical and Technological Cooperation of October 28, 2022 in order to develop existing and create new high-tech markets for goods and services, infrastructure of scientific, technical, industrial and innovative cooperation, cooperation scientific and technological companies and collectives.

It is planned to promote the interstate exchange of scientific and technical information, the training of highly qualified personnel for innovative sectors of the economy, support for research and development in the field of artificial intelligence, increase academic and scientific mobility, develop interschool and interuniversity relations, promote the practice of network universities, and expand teacher exchanges.

Work will continue to improve the legal framework for cooperation in the field of social and labor relations, migration of the population, and increase the effectiveness of the fight against illegal migration.

In the field of healthcare, efforts will be aimed at increasing cooperation in the fight against socially significant diseases and infectious diseases, including taking into account the experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic. Work will continue on the formation of a single epidemiological space of the CIS member states, strengthening the capacity to prevent, detect and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases in order to timely respond to sanitary and epidemiological emergencies.

In the cultural and humanitarian sphere, Russia's priorities include strengthening the common cultural and humanitarian space of the Commonwealth on the basis of the Plan of Priority Measures in the Field of Humanitarian Cooperation for 2023-2024, the list of Main Cooperation Events of the CIS Member States in the Field of Culture for 2021-2025, as well as existing strategies in the field of physical culture, sports, tourism and international youth cooperation; implementation of activities within the framework of the Year of the Volunteer Movement announced in the CIS in 2024, the Interstate Program "Cultural Capitals of the Commonwealth", the international projects "Youth Capital of the CIS" and "Sports Capital of the Commonwealth". Particular attention will be paid to strengthening such structures as the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS Member States and the Council for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS Member States.

The practice of celebrating memorable dates related to the cultural and historical heritage of the CIS states, implementing projects dedicated to music, theater, fine arts, feature cinema, library and museum work, developing contacts between cultural and art figures, as well as holding events that contribute to strengthening cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports will continue in the CIS.

An important area of work will be countering the external destructive influence on the cultural and humanitarian space of the CIS member states, including attempts to "cancel the culture" of a particular people or its contribution to the world cultural heritage.

An important aspect of Russia's chairmanship will be support for measures to combat the falsification of history and attempts to rehabilitate Nazism, as well as to preserve the historical truth about the Great Patriotic War, including the facts of the genocide of the peoples of the Soviet Union. In this regard, special attention will be paid to preparations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Year of Peace and Unity in the Fight against Nazism, to be held in the Commonwealth in 2025.

Work will continue on joint projects of the CIS countries to protect, support and promote the Russian language as a language of interethnic communication, as well as to launch the practical activities of an international organization for the Russian language, open to accession by all countries that share its goals and principles.

Much attention will be paid to the development of youth cooperation within the CIS, the expansion of existing joint projects and the launch of new initiatives.

In the area of the promotion and protection of human rights, one of Russia's priorities will be to ensure the functioning of the CIS Commission on Human Rights and the Commission of Commissioners for Children's Rights (Ombudsmen) of the CIS member States.

Work in the information space of the CIS will be built with an emphasis on highlighting the positive dynamics of integration processes, the development of humanitarian and business ties, the popularization of historical commonality and cultural diversity in the CIS countries on the basis of deepening practical interaction between the leading media of the member states, including through the MTRK "MIR", with the wide use of modern technologies and the involvement of authoritative journalists, bloggers, etc. opinion leaders.

A separate task for the Russian Chairmanship is to improve the activities of the CIS bodies and increase their efficiency. In this regard, initiatives will be proposed to introduce modern information technologies into the work of the CIS bodies. Increased attention will be paid to strengthening the role of the Council of Permanent Plenipotentiary Representatives to the statutory and other bodies of the Commonwealth, as well as sectoral cooperation bodies.

During its chairmanship, the Russian Federation is ready to cooperate closely with other CIS member States and the CIS Executive Committee. [Emphasis Original]

As you read, the goal of tightening integration of all Eurasian international organizations will continue to be pursued. A time in the future will likely arrive where the CIS and EAEU get merge into one as their work in some areas now produces duplicates whose creation causes a devotion of more resources than what’s needed. The CIS is a busy entity as can be judged by visiting its website. As some are learning, Kazakhstan is becoming an ever more important nation within the CIS and Global South. For example, these happenings were announced by President Tokayev yesterday:

In 2024, a number of representative summits and forums will be held in our country. Kazakhstan will chair several authoritative international organizations at once: the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, the Organization of Turkic States, the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, and the Islamic Organization for Food Security.

A big event will be the holding of the World Nomad Games in Kazakhstan. They are important both for the popularization of national sports and a healthy lifestyle, and for the expansion of cultural and humanitarian ties between fraternal peoples - the heirs of the nomadic civilization of the Great Steppe.

There’s also a news feed related to CIS events that make the CIS website yet another to visit daily to monitor events. Expect lots of output from the efforts made by the host of Eurasian organizations.

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