Press center

03.08.2023

Russia and Iran Discuss the Cooperation between Special and Free Economic Zones

In Moscow, Dmitry Volvach, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, and Hojjatollah Abdolmaleki, Advisor to the President of Iran and Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free Trade-Industrial and Special Economic Zones, held a videoconference meeting. The sides discussed the trade and economic cooperation, including the interaction between special economic zones. Sergey Milushkin, Director General of the Management Company of the Caspian Cluster of SEZs, participated in the meeting.

 

The Russian side informed the Iranian colleagues about the establishment of Russia’s Technologies and Logistics Union which was created following the proposals on cooperation between special economic zones made at the Second Caspian Economic Forum. This Union was established by the management companies of SEZ Lotus JSC, SEZ Technopolis Moscow JSC, and ANO Directorate of International Transport Corridors.

 

– The Union's activity is aimed at deepening trade and economic, transport and logistics cooperation between Russia and the countries of the Caspian Region and the states drawn to the International North-South Transport Corridor, - said Dmitry Volvach and invited Iranian colleagues to join the Union.

 

The Russian Deputy Minister of Economic Development also noted that thanks to the work of such an organization, as well as the accumulated experience of cooperation between Russia and Iran, interaction between the countries will be brought to a new level. In continuation of the meeting, the parties discussed approaches to the creation of an international union of economic zones.

 

– The first task of the union, in our opinion, is to establish technological interaction at the level of special economic zones, to find solutions that can be implemented in the form of technological chains in SEZs of Russia and friendly countries. With the emergence of an international union of economic zones, there will be more opportunities for closer integration. Not only Caspian states, but also India, CIS and the Arab countries if they wish will be able to join it. Undoubtedly, the creation of such a union will be beneficial for all its participants. In general, we have agreed that special MOUs will be signed, which will allow us to coordinate our efforts at the international level in the field of technological cooperation, logistics and removal of administrative barriers. We also plan to include our colleagues from the SCO in this work, – Sergey Milushkin told his Iranian colleagues.

 

The participants of the meeting discussed the opportunity to sign the memorandum on Russian and Iranian SEZs cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia and the Supreme Council of the Free Trade-Industrial and Special Economic Zones of Iran with the participation of the Technologies and Logistics Union. The memorandum will be aimed at expanding relations between special economic zones in order to maintain the industrial, trade, economic and investment cooperation.

 

The specialized departments of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, Technopolis Moscow SEZ JSC, and ANO Directorate of International Transport Corridors took part in the negotiations. The Iranian side was also represented by Ahmad Jamali, Deputy Secretary for Economic Affairs of the Supreme Council of Free Trade, Industrial and Special Economic Zones, and Zohreh Bahrebar, Director for Coordination of International Financial Institutions of the Supreme Council of Free Trade, Industrial and Special Economic Zones.

 

Source: The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation

Back to news