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“Eurasia in a Changing World: Cooperation Agenda” is the name of the event organized by the Conoscere Eurasia Association in partnership with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
The 16th Eurasian Economic Forum will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on November 3 and 4, 2023. “Eurasia in a Changing World: Cooperation Agenda” is the name of the largest international event traditionally organized by the Conoscere Eurasia Association. This year the Forum was organized in close partnership with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
After Baku (Azerbaijan), where the previous meeting of the Forum was held in 2022, this year a kind of journey continued across the vast territory of “Greater Eurasia”: ancient Samarkand is a historical stop on the Silk Road, a crossroads of different cultures and a link between Europe and Asia Greater Eurasia, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, has enormous potential in every sense of the word, and the task of the Forum is to put it at the service of creative and peaceful development, overcoming the logic of hegemony and mobilizing the most important figures from around the world.
The goal of 2023 Forum is also to promote the policy of multilateral cooperation. At the center of this path aimed at promoting economic development is the human individual, operating in a multipolar context. And it is here that Uzbekistan becomes a bridge connecting and developing “business diplomacy,” which is able to unite entrepreneurs, politicians, and ordinary citizens from all over the world, promoting international economic and social prosperity.
Il programma del XVI Forum economico Eurasiatico, Samarcanda (Uzbekistan), 3-4 novembre 2023
Program of the 16th Eurasian Forum, Samarkand (Uzbekistan), November 3-4, 2023
Friday, November 3, 2023
09:00 – 10:00 | Opening of the Forum
Laziz KUDRATOV, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Alexey OVERCHUK, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation – online
Romano PRODI, President of the Foundation for Global Cooperation; Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Italy (1996-1998, 2006-2008) – online
Antonio FALLICO, President of the Conoscere Eurasia Association
Moderator: Alessandro CASSIERI, RAI journalist
10:00 – 11:00 | Special session: Oasis of cooperation in the center of Eurasia: the importance of Uzbekistan in the development of international economic relations
This year, Samarkand is hosting the Verona Eurasian Economic Forum, a meeting that sets the goal to promote dialogue between economic operators in Greater Eurasia. Samarkand historically represents the pearl of Uzbekistan and all of Central Asia, a traditional place of meetings and effective cooperation between different peoples and cultures. Uzbekistan plays an important role in creating an atmosphere of trust and good neighborliness between China, India, Russia, and the North Atlantic countries, which is especially important in the current situation. This way, Uzbekistan confirms its important and constructive international role, coupled with its enormous trade and economic potential. How can one imagine the prospects and opportunities offered by a country and its growing economy in an ever-changing world?
Oybek KHAMRAEV, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Giorgio VERONESI, President of the Italian-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce
Yusuf ABDULLAYEV, Rector of Samarkand International Technological University
Oybek SHAIKHOV, Secretary General of Eurouz; Founder of the East-West group
Leonardo COMUCCI, Honorary Consul of Uzbekistan in Tuscany and Umbria
Moderator: Giuseppe FERRARIO, Vice-President of the Italian-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry
11:00 – 12:00 | First session: New mechanisms of trade, investment, and technological cooperation in the new international context
The world is experiencing a period of constant acceleration of events and, consequently, the course of history. Since we are not yet accustomed to new circumstances, we need to adapt. Nowadays, predictability of the unpredictable has become the main characteristic. How can we build and develop trade and economic relations in this kind of context?
Gilles REMY, President and CEO of CIFAL Groupe
Badriddin АБИДОВ, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Tiberio GRAZIANI, President of the International Institute for Global Analysis Vision & Global Trends
Alexander GRUSHKO, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Edward LOZANSKY, President of the American University in Moscow
Moderator: Mark ENTIN, Head of the Department of European Law; Professor at MGIMO; Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Luxembourg (2012-2016)
12:00 – 13:00 | Second session: Prospects for the development of raw materials and energy markets
The debate about what is more important – raw materials or advanced manufacturing – is comparable to the well-known question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. Without raw materials and sustainable energy, it is impossible to think about new technologies, and vice versa: this is a healthy balance of interests. What prospects do representatives of the business world of the raw materials and energy markets see?
Zhurabek MIRZAMAKHMUDOV, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Leonid MIKHELSON, president and board member of Novatek
Bobir ISLAMOV, Minister of Mining and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Urbano CLERICI, Vice President and General Manager of Coeclerici Commodities
Rashid PIRMATOV, president and general director of Uzmetkombinat
Timur MUKHAMEDZHANOV, acting president of Uzkimyosanoat JSC
Moderator: Konstantin SIMONOV, General Director of the National Energy Security Fund of the Russian Federation
14.30 – 15.30 | Third session: New configuration of logistics and transport in the changing world
Since the beginning of the new decade, logistics and transport are sectors that are experiencing revolutionary changes. This happens under the pressure of external factors. In what direction are these industries heading? Where are saturation points created? What are the new guidelines for global transport flows?
Jasurbek CHORIEV, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Khikmatulla RAKHMETOV, Acting First Vice-President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Temir Yullari
Mehdi SANAEI, Director of the Institute of Iranian-Eurasian Studies (IRAS), Ambassador of Iran to the Russian Federation (2013-2019)
Banzragch DELGERMAA, President of the Norovbanzad Cultural Foundation; Ambassador of Mongolia to the Russian Federation (2016-2019)
Ahmed MOUSTAFA, Director of the Center for Asian Studies
Moderator: Alessandro BANFI, TV journalist
15.30 – 17.00 | Fourth session: Markets of financial and banking services in the changing global context
Digital payments and the return of inflation, new technological solutions and the development of alternative financial solutions. These are new and growing challenges that the banking sector must face. Some of them are generated by external factors, others are determined by the methods of technology development, and the third are determined by current economic processes. How does the industry itself assess its status? And what solutions are considered the most promising?
Nodirbek SAIDULLAEV, First Vice-President – Member of the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Elyor INOMJONOV, President of Mortgage Bank
Giammarco BOCCIA, Managing Director, Head of Trading and Corporate Finance SACE
Vardan DILANYAN, CEO of Axenix
Valery VAISBERG, chief analyst of the REGION Investment Company
Alex KRAINER, founder of Krainer Analytics
Moderator: Tadzio SCHILLING, CEO of the Association of European Businesses
Saturday, November 4, 2023
09:00 – 10:00 | Fifth session: New technological revolution: challenges and opportunities for Eurasia
The ability to use generative neural networks on a daily basis to act as search engines and information aggregators has become the greatest success of 2023. Thanks to this, the possibilities of each of us have expanded endlessly. The information space has changed. The fact that the uncontrolled implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems could become a mortal danger to humanity has attracted the attention of the whole world and prompted several hundred prominent scientists and entrepreneurs to declare a moratorium on further updates and on the use of AI itself. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. In all areas of human activity, the development and implementation of new technologies, much more productive than previous ones, have acquired explosive potential: this is about reproductive technologies, blockchain, genome editing, etc. New technologies are transforming business and currently determine investors’ preferences. Technological wars set the defining parameters of international relations. Gaining technological sovereignty has become a daily refrain.
Sherzod SHERMATOV, Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Sergey GLAZYEV, Minister for Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission
John ZHANG, Secretary General of the International Technology Transfer Network (ITTN)
Ilshat KHAMETOV, Managing Director of UZUM
Sardor KADYROV, CEO of Wildberries
Moderator: Philipp PEGORIE, partner of Kesarev
10:00 – 11:00 | Sixth session: Prospects for industrial and technological cooperation in Greater Eurasia
Despite the difficult geopolitical situation, international and interregional cooperation remains the basis for development. Industries are looking for new directions and ways of working, diversifying connections and chains of cooperation. In the economic space of Greater Eurasia, starting with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Iran, China, South and Southeast Asia, new conditions for business development are emerging. Greater Eurasia demonstrates greater stability and dynamism, expanding opportunities for the placement and development of capital. In addition, serious changes are taking place at the legislative level.
Murad NAZAROV, Murad Buildings
Antonio CIANCI, CEO of Air Quality Alliance
Sarvar AHADOV, member of the board of Technopark
Abdulla AZIZOV, Vice President of the Board of Directors for Digital Technologies of Almalyk MMC JSC
Moderator: Murat MIRZAEV, Director of the Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan
11:00 – 12:00 | Seventh session: Guarantees for international development of the agricultural sector and food security. Potential of sustainable agriculture
In any era, the need of humanity to provide itself with food and benefit from agricultural products has never lost its relevance. Agriculture remains one of the basic sectors of society. Population growth, new technologies, and climate change present new challenges that require immediate responses. But what will they be?
Aziz VOITOV, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Artak KAMALYAN, Minister of Industry and Agro-Industrial Complex of the Eurasian Economic Commission
Viorel GUTU, Coordinator for Central Asia, responsible for Turkey and Uzbekistan FAO
Ilya SHESTAKOV, Head of the Federal Fisheries Agency
Dipak RAYNA, Chief Operating Officer, Indorama Agro
Moderator: Oybek ELMURATOV, Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan
12:00 – 13:00: Eighth session: Humanism or degradation? Fundamental values for the future world
Scarcity of resources, including water, the need to protect the natural habitat of humans and all living organisms, and combating climate change remain real challenges despite ongoing geopolitical changes. Politics is politics, but eating, drinking, and living in decent conditions remains the most important task today. Economic development must be based on preserving the common heritage of humanity. Nature requires not only the protection of homo sapiens, but also of man himself, his rights and responsibilities, his culture and his historical heritage, as well as access to reliable information. How can we ensure the protection of World Heritage in times of ever greater division?
Eldor TULYAKOV, Executive Director of the Development Strategy Center
Giuseppe ARLACCHI, sociologist
Dmitry SIMES, President Emeritus of the Center for the National Interest in Washington; Anchor of the First Channel
Luciano LARIVERA, member of the Jesuit order and economist
Vyacheslav FETISOV, deputy of the Russian Duma; Goodwill Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2020 – 2022)
Igor ROGOV, Chairman of the Commission under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Human Rights; Member of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe from the Republic of Kazakhstan
Francesco SIDOTI, sociologist
Moderator: Valery FADEEV, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, Scientific Director of the Institute of Heritage and Modern Society of the Russian State University for the Humanities
13:00 – 13:30 | Forum summary
Antonio FALLICO, President of the Conoscere Eurasia Association
