On October 8, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexander Krutikov signed an order on approving the members of the Public Council of Russia’s Arctic zone.

The council will include 19 people: representatives of the public chambers of the northern territories, regional associations of indigenous minorities, regional chambers of commerce and industry, the rector of the Lomonosov Northern (Arctic) Federal University, and the vice-rector of the Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University.

The council will have the following key goals: to control compliance with the observance of the rights and interests of the indigenous minorities of the North and to monitor the impact of current investment projects on the environment of the Russian Arctic.

“In ensuring the sustainable development of the northern areas, we must above all care for the local people. The Arctic is a special territory that has been inhabited by different peoples since ancient times. They engage in traditional economic activities and their interests must be protected. The Public Council can help the state in this respect. It is important for the council to be active, work with people and really be on their side,” said Mr Krutikov.

At the first session, the members of the council unanimously adopted a draft state program of the socio-economic development of the Russian Arctic. Its main goals are to ensure competitive conditions for implementing investment projects, creating new jobs, attracting labor to the Arctic territories, adopting legal regulations for the socio-economic development of the Russian Arctic and provide conditions for the sustainable socio-economic progress of the indigenous small-numbered peoples living in the Russian Arctic.

“Based on these goals, we have drafted two sub-programs. One is aimed at stimulating the creation of new companies and jobs in the Arctic zone, and the other covers measures to create conditions for the sustainable socio-economic development of the Russian Arctic, including the indigenous minorities,” said Mr Krutikov at the Public Council session.

In addition, the council members endorsed the establishment of several profile commissions at the ministry’s Public Council. In the future, they will work out and offer different initiatives to the ministry. Thus, the participants created commissions on tourism, green financing and the environment, comprehensive development of the Far East and the Arctic, network education, and academic mobility, to name a few.

“The Ministry for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic is open to dialogue with the Public Council and will cooperate with it in different formats on a permanent basis,” said Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexander Kozlov.

The renewed ministerial Public Council met on July 24, 2020 for the first time. It is headed by Alexander Tochenov, executive secretary of the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights.