During the symposium, Yekaterinburg was presented as Russia’s candidate for hosting the Expo-2020 world exhibition.
Dmitry Medvedev’s opening remarks:
Good afternoon, friends. I’m glad to see you. Welcome to Yekaterinburg. We usually refer to this city as the industrial capital of the Urals. Thank you for coming. You’ve chosen a good reason and the right time to come here, because it’s warm, but not too hot. I hope you are comfortable.
The Urals is a special place, where Europe and Asia meet on this vast continent. It is home to a variety of ethnicities and is a melting pot of cultural and spiritual traditions. This has largely determined the outlook of the people and the history of Russia. Admittedly, globalisation, which is so often mentioned these days, offers various opportunities and different perspectives. It makes it possible to establish a variety of links and mutually beneficial relations between far-flung parts and continents of our planet. I hope that the participants of the forum, which is interestingly titled “Africa – Urals” will appreciate it. I hope that you will be able to get a glimpse into the nature of our country and what is referred to as the soul of the nation.
The relations between Russia and its predecessor, the Soviet Union, and the African continent are time tested. Today, we are working through the United Nations, various forums, G20, BRICS and other international institutions, and, of course, on a bilateral basis. Russia is back with its old friends in Africa after a short break in the 1990s, which was a difficult period for our country. We have good relations with Africa, which is evidenced by frequent visits by our country's leaders to the African continent. I was in Africa recently, and my colleagues have been there as well. These visits will continue. We are pleased to see you come to us, because economic partnership is possible only on a bilateral basis, and the fast-growing African market certainly gets the attention of Russian companies.
D.Medvedev: "The relations between Russia and its predecessor, the Soviet Union, and the African continent are time tested. Today, we are working through the United Nations, various forums, G20, BRICS and other international institutions, and, of course, on a bilateral basis."
Trade with Africa is expanding. It is measured in the tens of billions of dollars, but frankly, it's still not where we want it to be. We can achieve a whole new level of trade cooperation. We have the opportunity to increase the trade volume, trade relations and investment cooperation, including through business contacts and joint projects, which usually start during such forums. The Urals has a lot to offer in terms of joint initiatives on the African continent, including creation of modern high-tech manufacturing facilities. I assume that our communication will allow us to exchange ideas, opinions and experiences. And, of course, we want things to improve.
How do we get there, and how do we avoid mistakes? These issues concern the leaders of all countries and are brought up in all states. We are also looking for the answers to these questions. We might not always be able to find them, but in order to find an answer, you need to talk to people. That is why Yekaterinburg has decided to participate in this bidding and has put up its candidacy for holding the Expo-2020 world exhibition. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to win, although we are very committed to it and will try to show that we are the best candidate for hosting the event. It’s up to other countries to make their choice.
In any case, I can tell you that Russia has a fairly extensive experience of participating in world exhibitions. More than a century ago, the Urals masters received a gold medal at one such exhibition. Even though we have everything we need to host such an event, we never had the chance to do so.
D.Medvedev: "I would also like to confirm that the Russian bid enjoys the full support of the President, the Government and the parliament. And, most importantly, it enjoys the whole-hearted support of the residents of Yekaterinburg (that’s almost 4.5 million people). The people who live in this city want to host this event."
I would like to say (it’s a short campaign on my part, if you will) that Yekaterinburg is a great place to hold such a major event.
I would also like to confirm that the Russian bid enjoys the full support of the President, the Government and the parliament. And, most importantly, it enjoys the whole-hearted support of the residents of Yekaterinburg (that’s almost 4.5 million people). The people who live in this city want to host this event.
Anyway, I hope that your stay in Yekaterinburg – a real Russian city and a major industrial centre, since Russia is more than Moscow, St Petersburg, and Sochi – will leave you with good memories. I also hope that the INNOPROM exhibition that is being held here, and the Urals - Africa forum will give you a clear idea of the economic growth in Russia.
I’m glad to see all of you here. Thank you for coming. I wish you a pleasant stay on Russian soil in Yekaterinburg. Thank you.