By R. Ravichandran
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (NNN-Bernama) — Fifty-nine countries are taking part in the ongoing 13th International Economic Summit: Russia-Islamic World (Kazan Summit), Russia’s largest platform for cooperation with the Islamic world.
The three-day summit began on Thursday at Kazan City, which is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, which witnessed the participation of 44 Muslim countries, among the total 59 countries. Kazan has received the status of “OIC Youth Capital – 2022”.
Russia’s Embassy in Malaysia told Bernama that 150 Russian and foreign companies are taking part in the summit which also features a Russia Halal Expo, World Halal Day, which is one of the events of the World Halal Summit, and events dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria. The embassy said that an epoch-making event in the history of the Tatar people was the adoption of Islam by their ancestors as the state religion.
In May 922, Islam was proclaimed the state religion of Volga Bulgaria, a state located on the territory of the Middle Volga region and the Kama region in the X-XIII centuries, it said.
The summit is being organised by the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency. According to the organiser, the main objectives of the Kazan Summi is to strengthen trade, economic, scientific, technical, social and cultural ties between the regions of the Russian Federation and the countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as well as to promote the development of the institutions of the Islamic financial system in Russia.
Russia itself has some 20 million Muslim population out of some 145 million people.
Going back to previous summits, the first such summit was in 2009 – the International Economic Summit between Russia and member states of the OIC, of which Russia is an observer since 2005.
The 13th summit, which brought together representatives of international organisations, public authorities, financial institutions, embassies, parliamentarians, leading investors and businessmen and top managers of Russian and foreign companies is being held within the framework of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group, chaired by Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Among the programmes is a significant investment block with 50 innovative start-ups from the Russian regions and the OIC countries.
Topics outlined for the summit include Islamic finance and partner banking, the Halal industry, youth diplomacy, export development, entrepreneurship and investment.
A distinctive feature of this year’s exhibition is free access to the programme of business sessions of the Summit dedicated to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and ecology, global trends in the Halal industry, the future of “decent fashion”, tourism and medicine, the basics of partnership finance, as well as the Engineering Cluster Forum.
Statistics show that the trade turnover between Russia and OIC countries for the first nine months of 2021 amounted to US$1.47 billion, with exports totalling US$1.07 billion while imports was US$407.7 million.
Some 5,000 people from 64 countries participated at the 2021 Kazan Summit.
Chief Executive of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency, Taliya Minullina in her message said that they highly valued the relations, friendship, respect and all-round mutually beneficial partnership with the OIC countries.
“Our efforts are aimed at strengthening cooperation between Russia and the Muslim world. We see the OIC countriesas like-minded people on the path to common prosperity and the continuation of an open dialogue between countries. The Russia-Islamic World Summit is just such a platform for the synergy of the economic, scientific, technical, cultural and informational agenda through various OIC structures,” she said.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin in his message said that Russia set a high value on strengthening the friendly ties with Muslim countries, both bilateral relations and within the OIC.
“We coordinate our efforts in dealing with many important issues on the regional and global agenda, and together stand against the use of blackmail, discriminative measures, and political and economic dictate in international relations. We count on the further boosting of mutually beneficial, productive cooperation in trade, economy, science and technology, culture and other areas,” he said.
Putin pointed out that it is important that Russian Muslims actively participate in expanding the country’s international ties and the Kazan Summit 2022 was the proof of that.
He said the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria was a landmark event in the history of Motherland as it influenced its establishment as a multiconfessional country and played an important role in the formation of a united and strong-knitpeople of Russia.
“The current generation of Muslims in Russia treat the traditions and customs of their ancestors with respect and adhere to their firm commitment of honest service to the Fatherland, high ideals of patriotism and justice, he said.
Putin said that for centuries, Russian Muslims have made a significant contribution to the development of the country.
“Their great achievements in various areas are an inseparable part of our rich historical, scientific, cultural and spiritual heritage,” he said.
“I offer you my heartfelt greetings and congratulations on the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria, which is an important event for the Muslim ummah of Russia and the world, and, of course, for our entire country.”
We are sincerely happy that guests from dozens of countries – politicians, religious and public figures, scientists, artists and journalists – have come to the Republic of Tatarstan to attend the celebrations.”
— NNN-BERNAMA
